PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Two victims were intentionally run over by a vehicle after an altercation in Pinellas Park early Sunday morning, police said.
Pinellas Park police say around 2:50 a.m., officers were called to Banquet Masters after learning a vehicle had intentionally run over two victims after a verbal altercation.
The intentional act led to a large fight in the parking lot with three people being taken to a local hospital.
Through an investigation, detectives learned there was an event at Banquet Masters with many guests, and uninvited guests arrived and the verbal altercation took place.
Detectives said three people were in a vehicle that drove into a crowd of attendees and struck two victims. The driver, Roberto Dothe, then backed up into the victims a second time.
A crowd then surrounded the car and attacked the three people inside the vehicle.
Another person inside the car, Anthony Benitez, was taken into custody and was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Dothe fled the area, but was later found by police and was arrested. He was charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
The two people struck, a 10-year-old girl and a 37-year-old man, both had serious but not life-threatening injuries, police said.
This is an active investigation and additional charges are pending.
