SPRING HILL, Fla. – On Monday night at 10:06 p.m., Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Moondance Circle in Spring Hill in reference to a report of an attempted home invasion.
The caller told 911 dispatchers that she observed three unknown suspects via video surveillance walking around the perimeter of her home. She further advised one of the suspects was armed with an AR-15 style rifle, while a second suspect had what appeared to be a handgun.
All three suspect were wearing masks.
The caller observed the suspects run to an adjacent home where they attempted to gain entry through the garage door. Deputies quickly arrived on the scene causing the suspects to flee the area on foot.
The Aviation Unit was quickly able to locate the suspects walking in the area of Clear Springs Road. The suspects then ran to the back of a residence of Eastwood Trail where members of the K-9 Unit were then brought in to assist in the search.
K-9 Chase and his handler Deputy J. Andrews quickly located 17-year-old Jonathan Greenwood. K-9 Chase ran down Greenwood and subdued him with a bite to the hand. Greenwood was taken into custody without further incident.
Seconds later K-9 Justice and his handle Cpl. S. Miller located the second suspect, 16-year-old Wesley Bailey Jr. K-9 Justice ran down Bailey and subdued him with a bite to the thigh as well.
Moments later K-9 Argo and his handler Deputy G. Locke located the third suspect, 16-year-old Eli Pruitt who surrendered.
Deputies located the weapons utilized by the suspects, which included an airsoft gun and a clear paintball gun. No actual firearms were located.
A fourth suspect, 18-year-old Colin Leonard, was apprehended during a traffic stop on Barclay Avenue. Deputies located 22 amphetamine pills inside the vehicle.
Witnesses had observed the driver of the vehicle circling the area at the time of the attempted home invasion. Investigation revealed Leonard drove the three juveniles to the residence on Moondance Circle for the purpose of stealing drugs and money from the victim.
Leonard was waiting for a call from the suspects once they were ready to leave. Initially, the three suspects targeted the wrong house. They broke a side garage door window before realizing they were breaking into the wrong house.
The suspects confirmed they were armed with an airsoft gun and a paintball gun and were wearing masks during the incident.
All three juveniles were transported to the Hernando County Detention Center on charges of Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling, Attempted Home Invasion, and Resisting without Violence.
After processing at the jail, the juveniles were transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Ocala.
Leonard was charged with Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling, Attempted Home Invasion, and Possession of a Controlled Substance without a Prescription.
His bond was set at $12,000.
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