ENGLEWOOD EAST — Authorities arrested a man on Tuesday night after he allegedly threatened his ex-girlfriend and struck her teenage son, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Eric John Lacko, 40, of the 2400 block of Post Road, Sarasota, was charged with battery and stalking in connection with the incident.

According to a report, Lacko was sitting outside the victim’s home inside his car when he was approached by the victim’s son, who told Lacko to leave. Lacko then struck the teen in the arm and pulled into their driveway. He exited the car and screamed, “Bring it on,” but then fled when the victim phoned authorities. Lacko then blew out a tire when he struck a culvert making a U-turn in a neighboring yard and fled the scene on foot, the report states.

Lacko had called
the victim 26 times
that day, and sent her
24 text messages, one of which read he had a “gun and was going to end everyone’s lives,” the report states.

Lacko was arrested and transported to the Charlotte County Jail, where he was later released on $4,500 bond.

Teen charged with throwing lamp at grandmother

PORT CHARLOTTE — A 15-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday for allegedly hitting his grandmother with a lamp when she refused to give him $20, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a report, the teen kept asking for the money, but as his grandmother continuously denied his request, he grabbed a Tiffany-style glass lamp and threw it at her. The report said the lamp struck the woman in the face below the eye and her nose, causing a laceration.

The teen fled the apartment but soon returned and threatened to punch her in the face. Instead, he fled once again and was later picked up by authorities after his grandmother called the CCSO.

The teen was arrested, charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon on a person 65 years or older, and taken to the Charlotte County Jail. He was then transported to the Juvenile Justice Center in Fort Myers, where he’ll remain for 21 days.

Man faces child abuse charge

VENICE — The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has charged a Venice man with child abuse after he allegedly choked and battered an 11-year-old boy.

The victim’s mother called the Sheriff’s Office Wednesday to report that Edward Henry Prall, 35, assaulted her son several times after school Tuesday, a Sarasota County sheriff’s report shows. When she arrived home from work Tuesday night, the boy told her about the attack, saying Prall choked him, banged his head on the dining room table, pushed the table into his chest while he was sitting in a chair against the wall, and punched him in the stomach.

The woman said she confronted Prall, who said the boy wasn’t listening and he grabbed him. When the boy’s mother said she was going to call the Sheriff’s Office, Prall threatened to hurt everyone in the house, the report shows. Fearing for the safety of her children, she didn’t report the alleged abuse until she arrived at work Wednesday morning.

The school resource officer at Laurel Nokomis School, where the victim attends, was notified and observed injuries around the child’s neck and chest. The 11-year-old also complained about his ribs being sore. The boy’s mother took him to a local emergency room for evaluation and treatment.

Prall was taken into custody at his home and admitted he lost control, the report shows. He was booked into the Sarasota County Jail on Wednesday afternoon, where he is being held without bond.

The state Department of Children and Families was also notified, the report shows.

The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests:

• Jeffery Michael Lea, 33, 1000 block of 10th St., Sarasota. Charge: DUI second offense. Bond: $1,000.

• James Anthony Popivich, 24, 2300 block of Pine Grove Circle W., Punta Gorda. Charge: knowingly driving with a suspended license. Bond: $500.

• David George Wiegnad, 60, 28000 block of Crestwood Drive, Punta Gorda. Charge: out of state fugitive from justice. Bond: none.

• Jennifer Nichole Smith, 30, 9100 block of Austrian Blvd., Punta Gorda. Charges: petty theft, simple assault on a firefighter, officer or EMT and harming a public servant. Bond: none.

• Ronald John Shillinsky Jr., 39, 500 block of Clearview Drive, Port Charlotte. Charges: robbery without a weapon, failure to appear, burglary and grand theft. Bond: none.

• Renee Lynn Skywatcher, 30, 6100 block of Granduer St., Port Charlotte. Charges: possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of cocaine, selling opium or a derivative and two counts of possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $14,500.

• Brianna Michelle Silcox, 20, 22100 block of Montrose Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: violation of probation (original charges: possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana). Bond: none.

• Richard Allen Foist, 24, 21900 block of Hernando Ave., Port Charlotte. Charge: battery. Bond: none.

• Brett Anthony Langley, 20, 100 block of Straburg Drive, Port Charlotte. Charges: possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $8,500.

• Mark Kitchings, 43, 24000 block of Madaca Lane, Port Charlotte. Charge: battery. Bond: none.

• Lynn Robin Wilkins, 54, 1700 block of Sunderland Drive, Port Charlotte. Charge: out-of-county warrant. Bond: $1,240.

• Ashley Loren Guernsey, 26, Parrish, Fla. Charges: possession of a controlled substance and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $3,500.

• Amy Lou McGlocklin, 31, 1900 block of Massachusetts Ave., Englewood. Charges: selling opium or a derivative and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Bond: $7,500.

• Jeffery Nelson Murphy, 54, 2400 block of S. McCall Road, Englewood. Charge: Sarasota County warrant. Bond: $2,000.

• Angel Manuel Cruz, 39, 2200 block of Lee Terrace, Port Charlotte. Charge: aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. Bond: none.

• Lawrence Carlton Chase, 55, 7400 block of San Casa Drive, Englewood. Charges: possession of marijuana and possession of narcotic equipment. Bond: $2,000.

The Punta Gorda Police Department reported the following arrests:

• Kelsey Dorain Sims, 28, 1400 block of Virginia Drive, Punta Gorda. Charge: knowingly driving with a suspended license. Bond: $500.

• Bonnie Faye King, 43, 400 block of E. Ann St., Punta Gorda. Charge: disorderly intoxication. Bond: $500.

The North Port Police Department reported the following arrests:

• Maksim Voytukhov, 33, 1500 block of W. Hillsborough Blvd., North Port. Charges: resisting an officer, giving false information to a law enforcement officer and contempt (original charge: driving with a suspended license) Bond: $3,250.

• David James Merchant, 23, 7600 block of Totem Ave., North Port. Charge: resisting an officer. Bond: $750.

• James Roody Saintfort, 25, 1400 block of Granada Blvd., Warm Mineral Springs. Charge: resisting an officer. Bond: $750.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests:

• Jesse Joseph Fleming, 31, 300 block of Chandler Ave., Nokomis. Charge: battery. Bond: none.

• Michelle Dell Perry, 43, 100 block of Kenwood Ave., Nokomis. Charges: two counts of violation of probation (original charges: violation of community control for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, selling or dispensing drugs without a prescription, and sale, manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance). Bond: none.

• Jesse Alexander Hernandez, 27, 6200 block of Philco St., Englewood. Charge: Charlotte County warrant for failure to appear for driving while license is suspended-habitual. Bond: none.

• Tiffany Christine Green, 24, 3500 block of Avanti Circle, North Port. Charge: violation of probation (original charges: aggravated assault with a weapon and battery.) Bond: none.

• William Gordon Raimbeau, 50, 2100 block of Park Road, Venice. Charge: violation of probation (original charge: DUI with priors). Bond: none.

• Jerry Lee Williams, 55, 15500 block of Chamberlain Blvd., Port Charlotte. Charge: possession of marijuana. Bond: $120.

• Sara E. Easterling, 29, 800 block of Norwalk Drive, Venice. Charge: contempt (original charge: failure to appear for driving with a suspended license). Bond: $10,000.

— Compiled by Drew Winchester and Lorraine Schneeberger