SPRING HILL, FL. – On Wednesday at 10:18 p.m., Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the 4600 block of Chamber Court in Spring Hill in reference to a report of an armed robbery of a taxi driver.
The victim told deputies he was hired to transport three individuals from a residence on Chamber Court to the Taco Bell located at 11140 Spring Hill Drive.
The three juveniles were later identified as Kylee Champagne, 16, Michael Nazario, 13,, and Giovanni Pereira, 17.
When the taxi driver pulled up to the house he was met by the three teenagers.
Investigators say, once, inside the vehicle, the victim drove a short distance before one of the juveniles asked the driver to stop so one of them could retrieve their cell phone.
All three juveniles exited the taxi. Champagne then proceeded to display a handgun and demand money from the taxi driver.
In fear for his life, the taxi driver gave Champagne all of the money in his pockets. The three juveniles then ran into a nearby wooded area, according to Deputies.
A K-9 and the Aviation Unit were called in to assist in locating the suspects. K-9 Justice and his handler, Cpl. S. Miller, were quickly able to locate all three juveniles and take them into custody.
Deputies located two firearms in the backyard of Champagne’s home on Chamber Court, and the three juveniles were arrested and each charged with one count of felony Armed Robbery.
They were transported to the Hernando County Detention Center. Upon completion of processing, they were all three transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Ocala.
Additionally, the three juveniles are being investigated as suspects in an Armed Robbery reported by a food delivery driver in Spring Hill on May 11, 2021.