Florida: Woman, .357 blazing, chases intruders from home

Ocala, Florida

From Ocalca.com of July 10, 2008

Woman, .357 blazing, chases intruders from home

Firing a .357-caliber handgun until it was empty, an Ocala woman chased two intruders from her home in the 3800 block of Southeast 68th Street on Wednesday morning.

Later Wednesday, Marion County sheriff's detectives had one home invasion suspect in custody and were looking for the second. Aaron Scott Beardsley, 25, was charged with armed home invasion robbery. Deputies were still looking for a heavy-set Hispanic male, about 6-foot-1 or 6-feet-2, who was wearing black shorts at the time, a dark T-shirt and a bandana.

Sheriff's Detective Art King, in his report, gave the following account of the crime:

Shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday, 29-year-old Jennifer Ann Hunley; her 27-year-old boyfriend, Michael Joseph Nash; and Hunley's 11-year-old daughter were inside their home when two men entered through the garage door. Nash, who was coming out of a bathroom at the time, saw one of the intruders holding a nail gun near the television set in the living room.

The man demanded money. At the same time Nash saw that the second suspect, armed with a handgun, was also in the living room. The one with the nail gun hit Nash on the head, and when he fell down both men began beating him.

Hunley came into the living room, saw what was happening, returned to her bedroom for a .357-caliber handgun and fired a warning shot into the ceiling.

The intruder with the nail gun ran outside, while the other one ran into a nearby bedroom. He then pointed his weapon, believed to be a small-caliber handgun, and fired at least one shot at Hunley.

Then Hunley, who is 5-foot-3, emptied her handgun, firing four shots at the intruder. The gunman ran out the front door. Neither Hunley nor her daughter were hurt during the exchange of gunfire.

Afterward, sheriff's deputies received calls indicating that the wife of one of the suspects may have driven the getaway vehicle.

And Nash told Detective King that his sister believed Beardsley was responsible for the home invasion because she had had a conversation with him the day before about previous drug activity at her brother's home

King reported that Nash pulled up a picture of Beardsley on the Internet and recognized him as one of the the intruders.

Deputies later found Beardsley and his wife, who is pregnant, and brought them in for an interview. Beardsley said he was innocent, but his wife reportedly told a different story.

She told King that she dropped her husband off close to the Southeast 68th Street address and waited about 20 minutes for him, according to King's report. She said her husband was sweating when he returned to the vehicle. The woman said she didn't ask any questions about what he did or where he went.

Beardsley was then arrested and charged with armed home invasion. He refused an interview request from the Star-Banner.