Five arrested in South Tampa mugging

The victim, a Times photographer, is beaten and robbed, but his injuries are called minor.

By ABBY VANSICKLE, Times Staff Writer
Published December 7, 2007

TAMPA - Four men and a 16-year-old boy have been arrested, accused in an early Thursday mugging in South Tampa.

Police say five men chased Zachary Boyden-Holmes, 26, beat him and kicked him in the head and neck near Swann Avenue and Matanzas Avenue. He was walking home from a birthday party at about 2:30 a.m.

The men then took Boyden-Holmes' wallet and drove away, according to a report.

Police found the suspects' vehicle at Swann Avenue and Henderson Avenue. Boyden-Holmes identified the men inside the car as his attackers.

Police found his wallet and credit cards inside the car.

Boyden-Holmes, a staff photographer for the St. Petersburg Times, suffered minor injuries. He was not taken to a hospital.

One of the defendants, Denny R. Beville, 16, told investigators he and his friends didn't know Boyden-Holmes and targeted him simply because he was there.

Arrested were Gregory A. Maestas, 22, of 4311 S Clark Ave., a car dealership employee; Steven D. Peak, 19, a student, and Andres R. Adorno, 31, a tattoo artist, both of 3130 W Napoleon Ave.; and Johnathan R. Evans, 19, of 6701 S Sheridan Road, a server at the Tampa Yacht Club; and Beville, 16, a Robinson High student.

Their charges include robbery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor and other violations.

[Last modified December 7, 2007, 00:45:28]