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Waving guns, masked robbers smash into home

One of the fleeing men aims a gun at a deputy. She shoots, misses and turns her dog loose on them. Both are caught.

TAMPA - Two men barged into a mobile home early Wednesday morning, pistol-whipped one man and stole his money - then pointed a gun at a deputy as they tried to flee, authorities said.

Shortly before 1 a.m., two masked men forced their way into a mobile home at 12707 Balm Riverview Road. Carrying guns, they demanded money and pistol-whipped 35-year-old Juan Padilla, deputies said.

Someone else inside the house dialed 911.

When officers arrived, one of the robbers - later identified by the Sheriff's Office as Joe Edward Johnson - pointed his gun at Deputy Charlotte Raschke. She fired one shot, missing him.

Johnson and the other suspect, Allie Charles Bessette, ran away. Raschke's dog, Cliff, followed the two men and bit Bessette on the arm, a deputy's report said.

Deputies caught both men and arrested them.

Bessette and Johnson were charged with home invasion, armed robbery, armed kidnapping and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. Sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder said that detectives think the men tried to invade another mobile home 20 minutes before attacking Padilla.

Authorities received a report of two men trying to break into a home at 3325 Saffold Road. A woman there told deputies that two men with guns tried to break into her home - but she and her son held the door shut until they left.

"It may be related," Reder said. "Both appear to be random." Bessette, 31, of 10101 Oak Ave., Tampa has been arrested 23 times in Hillsborough County, records show, on charges that include battery on a law enforcement officer, organized fraud and escape. Johnson, 28, of 5203 Lemon Ave., also has a lengthy arrest record.

This isn't the first time that Deputy Raschke and Cliff have given pursuit. In June, Cliff was hit by a truck while chasing a suspect, who also had fought with Raschke. And in March, Raschke and Cliff were bitten by water moccasins while pursuing a suspect.

- Tamara Lush can be reached at 813-226-3373 or at lush@sptimes.com