DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two men arrested Thursday by Daytona Beach police are accused of strong-arming a victim and stealing his handgun.
The victim told investigators he was contacted by Simeon Hall, 22, who encouraged they “catch up.” Come 2 p.m., the victim was picked up at his residence, stepping into the back passenger side of a vehicle being driven by Hall and with Sidney Walker, 21, in the other front seat, police said.
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The group traveled to the beachside and agreed to head back to the mainland before Hall stopped the car at Henry Lee Park, according to an arrest affidavit.
It was at this point Walker reached into a bookbag, pulled out a handgun, handed the bag to Hall and leaned into the backseat, waving the gun around and prompting the victim to fear for his life, police said. Clutching his own bag, which had a gun inside of it, the victim grabbed and held onto Walker’s arms in a brief scuffle before Walker was able to strike the victim with the butt of the gun he was brandishing, hitting him several times in his head, face and arms, according to the affidavit.
Walker exited the car and attempted to open the victim’s door, which the victim was trying to keep held shut. Hall then exited the car himself and flanked the victim through the left passenger-side door, soon allowing Walker to open the other one. The victim, now cornered in the middle seat, was grabbed by Walker and reportedly thrown out of the vehicle, letting go of his bag as he hit the concrete. Walker grabbed the bag and sat in the car as Hall got back in the driver’s seat to drive toward the area of the 600 block of Bellevue Avenue, police said.
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An alert was issued county-wide to be on the lookout for Walker and Hall. A vehicle matching the description provided by the victim was soon located on Bellevue Avenue, an officer now following it at a distance onto Clyde Morris Boulevard and eventually Georgetown Boulevard, where Walker bailed out and ran.
A pursuit was authorized before Hall reportedly left the vehicle himself at the corner of Old Kings and Old Big Tree roads, apprehended by a K-9 and its handler. It took slightly longer to apprehend Walker, who was also taken down by a K-9 after trying to get away through a subdivision, police said.
The victim’s gun was recovered from the vehicle’s center console, according to the affidavit.
Walker faces charges of robbery with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm, resisting an officer without violence and possession of a weapon by an in-state felon, records show. Hall faces charges of robbery with a firearm, grand theft of a firearm, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement with lights and sirens active, resisting an officer without violence and possession of a weapon by an in-state felon. Both were booked around 2 a.m. Friday and are being held on no bond.
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