Kenneth Glad
Police say a domestic dispute escalated into a serious felony case with lasting consequences.
In a sworn arrest affidavit, a mother allegedly told authorities she was trying to “free” a young man from what she described as a “simulation.”
The affidavit, cited by People, states that 54-year-old Sandra Kegley made the comments after she was accused of stabbing her daughter’s boyfriend, 23-year-old Eric Smith, on February 23.
The alleged attack
Officers were called around 4:30 p.m. to a house on the 6200 block of 108th Avenue North in Pinellas Park. When they arrived, they found Smith and 25-year-old Kyrsten Bleattler with “various stab wounds and cuts,” according to a statement from the Pinellas Park Police Department, People writes. Bleattler was injured as she tried to intervene, FOX 13 News reported.
The police said that that both were transported to a local hospital. Medical staff later determined their injuries were not life-threatening.
An arrest affidavit in Florida is the written statement officers submit to establish probable cause. It summarizes witness accounts and physical evidence at the time of arrest and becomes part of the court file as prosecutors decide how to proceed.
Charges and process
Kegley was taken into custody at the scene. Charging details published by People show that she faces one count of attempted first-degree murder as well as aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Jail records indicate she is being held in the Pinellas County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
Under Florida law, attempted first-degree murder is a life felony, requiring prosecutors to prove premeditation. Statements attributed to a suspect in early court documents can become central as the case moves forward and defense attorneys begin to challenge the state’s evidence.
Pinellas Park, a city of about 50,000 near St. Petersburg, handles most domestic-related felony cases through first-appearance hearings held within 24 hours of arrest, where a judge reviews probable cause and bond. It was not immediately clear whether Kegley has retained an attorney or when her next court date is scheduled.
Sources: FOX 13 News; People
