By Times Staff Writer
Published September 25, 2004
ZEPHYRHILLS - A 24-year-old Zephyrhills man escaped briefly from police custody during an investigation into a domestic dispute Friday, but was captured captured within a few minutes, police said.
Police Capt. Randy Belasic said officers were called to 38058 Lawanda Loop shortly before 1 p.m. and found Patrick Michael Jauss and Jestine Marie Damico, 18. Damico, who is pregnant, said Jauss pushed her to the ground, and Jauss said she gave him a welt by belting him on the head with a telephone, Belasic said.
Jauss was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, but police left the window partly open so they could communicate with him. Belasic said that as officers retrieved the phone from Damico, Jauss was able to get his hands in front of him, reach through the open window and open the door to the cruiser. He ran off.
Police summoned a tracking dog from Dade City, but before the dog arrived, Officer Josh O'Nolan ran Jauss down on foot a few blocks from the scene and arrested him.
Jauss was charged with aggravated domestic battery, escape and resisting arrest without violence. Damico was charged with domestic battery, Belasic said.
