Citrus: Citrus digest

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Lake County Sheriff's deputies have arrested the second suspect in a Dec. 17 shooting of two men after a confrontation at a convenience store, according to police. Darius Kendall Austin, 19, Umatilla, was arrested Monday on two counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm. Crystal River police say he and another man got into a dispute at the Coastal convenience store on State Road 44 with another group of young men. The fight broke up. The two pairs of men met again on NE Third Street in Crystal River. This time police say Austin took out a gun given to him by Vincent Craig Graham, 21, of Inverness, and shot the other two men, both of Crystal River, in the leg. Graham is charged with being an principal to attempted second-degree murder.

Former commission candidate sentenced to probation

INVERNESS -- Ralph A. Viola Jr., a former candidate for Citrus County Commission, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic battery Tuesday and was sentenced to 12 months of probation. Viola had been accused of breaking a 22-year-old Inverness woman's arm March 12, 2000. He was initially charged with aggravated battery causing serious bodily injury, a felony. But the woman recanted her initial account that Viola pushed her to the ground and stomped her arm, telling investigators more recently that her fall was caused by a dog, court records show. As part of his plea agreement, Viola was found guilty of the misdemeanor charge and also must perform 20 hours of community service. He dropped out of the commission race after his arrest and unrelated driving charges.

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