Four Southwest Florida teenagers are accused of beating and choking a party-goer on video.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested 19-year-old Waldo Roca Jr., of Fort Myers, 18-year-old Joseph Gabrielsen and two 17-year-olds on Sunday, May 17, on suspicion of battering an individual at a Bonita Springs house party.
The News-Press does not typically name minors.
After the owner of the home where the party was being hosted realized that there were too many people and the party was “getting out of hand,” he shut down the party, according to a police report.
A fight then broke out outside the residence.
The victim, whose identifying characteristics were redacted in the police report, told deputies that the altercation began with a verbal argument and then someone attempted to punch him. He tried to fight back, the report says.
He said that just moments later, someone began choking him and he lost consciousness.
In one video captured by a witness, several individuals are recorded hitting the victim and then one of them, identified as Roca, places the victim in a chokehold.
Gabrielsen and one of the 17-year-olds repeatedly punch the victim on the video. After the victim loses consciousness, the other 17-year-old kicks him.
Three of the teens fled the scene and traveled to a Publix store on Grande Oak Shoppes Drive in Estero, the police report says. A 911 caller tracked the suspects there through Snapchat.
Roca was found at his residence on Adams Circle in Fort Myers.
All four suspects were arrested.
Roca faces charges of battery by strangulation and felony battery. He has been released from custody on a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 15.
Gabrielsen and the two other teens face charges of felony battery.
Gabrielsen has been released from custody on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 15.
The two minors have been released from custody and are scheduled to appear in juvenile court on June 1.
Tayeba Hussein is a breaking news reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her at thussein@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Four SW FL teens accused of beating, choking victim at house party
Reporting by Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
