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Man badly injured in fight

He is taken to the hospital in critical condition after he receives a blow and falls, hitting his head on a concrete slab.

By SHANNON TAN
Published September 10, 2005

LARGO - A Largo man remained in critical condition Friday after falling and striking his head during a brief fight the night before, police said.

The incident started at the pool at Laguna Vista Apartments, 555 Belcher Road, around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. A group of residents was sitting by the pool talking and drinking beer, police said.

Raymond Piccolo, 44, who lives at the complex, then walked over to the group and yelled at Walter Wenzel, 43, pointing at him and saying, "I'm going to kick your butt right now," said Detective Keith Barton.

When Wenzel stood up, Piccolo slapped him with an open hand, Barton said. Wenzel, who also lives at the complex, told police he feared being struck again, so he hit Piccolo, who fell backward and struck his head on the concrete slab.

Barton would not say what the argument was about. Witnesses corroborated Wenzel's account, he said.

Piccolo was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg in critical condition. Bayfront officials would not release information on Piccolo's condition Friday, but Barton said Piccolo was still in the intensive care unit Friday morning and was on a ventilator.

Barton said the hospital tested Piccolo's blood-alcohol level at 0.35 percent, more than four times the threshold at which Florida law presumes someone to be impaired. Largo police did not test Wenzel's blood-alcohol level.

Wenzel, who was not injured, could not be reached for comment Friday.

The investigation continues and no charges had been filed Friday. Barton said the incident appeared to be a case of self-defense.

Times researcher Angie Drobnic Holan contributed to this report.

[Last modified September 10, 2005, 01:22:18]