Man faces 11 charges after law-office scuffle

By Times Staff Writer
Published July 11, 2007

TAMPA - An Apollo Beach man has been jailed without bond after sheriff's deputies say he walked into a Brandon attorney's office wearing a bulletproof vest, demanded his gun and ended up getting into a fight with an attorney and a deputy.

Lorenzo M. Rubio, 48, of 6438 Sunset Bay Circle, was booked into Orient Road Jail shortly before midnight Monday. Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said that at about 3 p.m. Monday, Rubio entered the law offices of Theresa Wigginton at 1463 Oakfield Drive, asking that she give him the gun she was holding for him.

Rubio got into a verbal and physical dispute with another lawyer, Michael VanDerZee, 35, before getting the gun, Carter said. He subsequently surrendered it to Wigginton, 61, Carter said.

When deputies arrived, Rubio resisted arrest and had to be physically restrained by a deputy after the officer deployed his stun gun, Carter said.

Carter said Rubio told an investigator that Wigginton was his girlfriend and his attorney. Court records show Wigginton is representing Rubio in a case against the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Carbucks Corp. and Grove State Finance.

Rubio, who lists his occupation as a broker in Valrico, is charged with 11 counts, including armed burglary of a structure, wearing a bulletproof vest in the commission of a felony, obstructing an officer with violence, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and threatening a public servant.

[Last modified July 11, 2007, 00:25:39]