A St. Petersburg man will be charged with manslaughter after a fight outside a Clearwater club.
By CHRIS TISCH
Published April 16, 2004
CLEARWATER - Prosecutors say they plan to file a manslaughter charge against a St. Petersburg man accused of fatally beating another man outside a Clearwater nightclub last month.
Dwayne R. Scott, 34, was arrested on an aggravated battery charge after the March 27 beating outside the Old New York New York club on U.S. 19. Police said Scott had gotten into an argument with Nathan Wheeler, 27, then knocked him to the ground and hit him in the head.
Wheeler was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg in critical condition. He died four days later.
Scott posted $20,000 bail and was released from the Pinellas County Jail the day after his arrest. Prosecutors plan to ask a judge to increase his bail next week, said Bruce Bartlett, the chief assistant in State Attorney Bernie McCabe's office.
Neither Scott nor the assistant public defender representing him could be reached for comment Thursday. Scott's attorney has entered a written not guilty plea on his behalf.
Clearwater police said Scott and Wheeler both had been inside the club that night, where they got into an argument. Both were asked to leave the nightclub, 185731 U.S. 19 N.
Once outside, Scott attacked Wheeler, knocking him to the ground, Bartlett said. Wheeler hit his head, then was straddled by Scott, who landed more blows to his head, Bartlett said.
Wheeler did not fight back and prosecutors believe he was unconscious during the last punches, Bartlett said.
"He wasn't fighting back," he said. "The defendant straddled him and started beating him in the head."
Scott left the area but police tracked him to St. Petersburg and arrested him. Wheeler of St. Petersburg was pronounced dead at the hospital March 31.
Bartlett said he hopes Scott won't abscond just because he faces a more serious charge. A judge ordered Scott not to leave Pinellas County after he posted bail.
If he misses court hearings, prosecutors will ask a judge to revoke his bail and police will begin looking for him. The bondsman who posted his bail also would search for him.
Court records show Scott received probationary sentences in 1997 and again in 2000 on battery charges. He also was arrested on charges of principle to attempted murder in 1995 and carrying a concealed weapon in 1993, but prosecutors chose not to pursue those charges, records show.
