The man admitted punching and cutting a courthouse employee in her car to obtain rent money, Clearwater police said.
By JACOB H. FRIES
Published September 9, 2005
CLEARWATER - A construction worker has been charged with punching and slashing a courthouse employee during a robbery attempt in a Turner Street parking lot, police said Thursday.
Jaffry L. Brown, 20, of Largo initially denied Wednesday's attack, but then admitted he tried to rob the woman, saying he was in need of rent money, Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor said.
"It was a crime of opportunity," Shelor said.
His target was Catherine Noble, 43, of Dunedin, who had gone to the parking lot to eat lunch inside her Land Rover about 12:35 p.m., police said. Brown approached Noble and, through the open driver's side door, punched and slashed her with a butterfly knife, they said.
Noble screamed and Brown ran away, Shelor said. Noble was subsequently treated at Morton Plant Hospital for cuts to her arms. She was released later Wednesday.
Officers immediately poured into the area around Turner Street and Bay Avenue while police dogs searched for the attacker. Then a construction worker in the neighborhood noticed all the commotion and gave police a tip: A co-worker had disappeared from the job site and returned 20 minutes later, sweating and asking for a ride home.
Investigators later identified that co-worker as Brown and went to his home on First Avenue NE in Largo, Shelor said.
Brown agreed to be questioned at headquarters, where he ultimately admitted guilt, Shelor said. Investigators found the knife in Brown's home.
He was booked in the Pinellas County Jail about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, just hours after the attack. Brown, who has no criminal record in Pinellas, was being held Thursday in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Noble could not be reached for comment.
County officials have said they planned to increase patrols of the parking lots/
Also, Pinellas County Administrator Steve Spratt is sending employees a letter encouraging them not to eat lunch in their cars.
