A man pins down the suspect after a pregnant teen's throat is slashed. The man's wife dials 911.
By CANDACE RONDEAUX and NORA KOCH
Published April 2, 2004
[Times photo: Kathleen Flynn]
Gretchen Alvarez, 16, center, sits with her mother, Migdalia Vera, left, and father Mingo Fernandez Vera, in their Tarpon Springs home Thursday after an attacker slashed Gretchen's throat three times and stabbed her in the back on Wednesday night. She was saved by passers-by, treated at a hospital and released. Her father came upon the scene shortly after the attack and was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer after allegedly shoving a police officer. A Holiday man is charged with the attack.
Brandon Andrew Lawrence, 26, is accused of slashing Gretchen's throat three times.
TARPON SPRINGS - A Holiday man has been charged with using a butcher knife to stab and slash the throat of a pregnant teenage girl Wednesday night.
Police charged Brandon Andrew Lawrence, 26, with attempted murder and kidnapping in an attack on Gretchen Alvarez, 16, in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut at 1955 Alt. U.S. 19 N in Tarpon Springs around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Lawrence, who worked as a cook at the Pizza Hut in Anclote Plaza until his arrest, had asked Alvarez to meet him at the back of the restaurant, police said. Lawrence was not working Wednesday, but asked her to meet there since they both live nearby, police said. Lawrence told the girl that he just wanted to talk with her.
"I don't think she knew what was up," said Tarpon Springs police Sgt. Allen MacKenzie.
Police said Alvarez had recently learned that she was pregnant with Lawrence's child. Lawrence told police he wanted Alvarez to get an abortion and that the pregnancy was "ruining his life," MacKenzie said.
Moments after Lawrence met the girl in an unlit parking lot at the plaza, he told Alvarez that he had a surprise for her. He then asked her to turn around and close her eyes, police said. Alvarez did as she was asked, thinking that Lawrence had flowers behind his back.
But the surprise turned out to be a black-handled butcher knife Lawrence used to slash Alvarez's throat three times, police said. Lawrence tried to drag the girl toward his car, police said. When she tried to break free, Lawrence, dressed all in black, stabbed her in the back, police said.
Police said Lawrence became upset after the girl recently told him she was weeks pregnant with his child. The attack came within in an inch of inflicting what could have been a fatal wound, as the knife barely missed her carotid artery, MacKenzie said.
"It's absolutely bizarre," MacKenzie said. "He claimed he was only trying to scare her."
The attack certainly scared Holiday residents Jeffrey McKinney, 35, and his wife, Sheila McKinney, 33. The couple's son works at the Pizza Hut and they were driving through the plaza in their Lincoln Navigator when they allegedly saw Lawrence attack the girl. Jeffrey McKinney chased Lawrence and pinned him to the ground. Meanwhile, McKinney's wife wrapped a sweat shirt around Alvarez's bleeding neck, helped her to the couple's car and called 911, police said.
"As horrible as this case is, the fact that her murder was stopped and prevented is just remarkable," MacKenzie said. "It's clear that both the McKinneys are heroes."
Police arrived minutes after McKinney wrestled Lawrence to the ground.
But moments after officers handcuffed Lawrence another violent scene ensued. The girl's father, Mingo Fernandez Vera, 35, and her 14-year-old brother were also driving through the plaza Wednesday night, police said. The girl's brother charged at Lawrence and kicked him in the head while he was still on the ground, police said. When police tried to restrain the boy he became upset and assaulted one of the officers, MacKenzie said.
"The kid says, "Okay, okay, I'll calm down,' then he punches the officer," MacKenzie said.
Upset by the bloody scene and attack on his daughter, Vera, whose family owns the San Juan Cafe on Ulmerton Road in Largo, entered the melee and pushed one of the officers in the chest, MacKenzie said.
Meanwhile, Alvarez was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa where she was treated overnight. She was released Thursday morning, according to the hospital's staff.
Police charged the girl's brother with aggravated battery and battery on a law enforcement officer, both felonies. Police did not release the boy's name because of his age.
Vera was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and taken to the Pinellas County Jail. He was released Thursday morning after posting $10,000 bail.
On Thursday, Lawrence of 5646 Lima Drive in Holiday, was being held in the medical wing of the Pinellas County Jail after he was treated for cuts on his head, police said. Lawrence was also charged with aggravated child abuse and was being held without bail.
Pizza Hut spokeswoman Patty Sullivan confirmed Thursday that Lawrence was an employee at the restaurant. But she declined to comment further.
