Accused of squatting in the Orange Park home of an elderly woman out of town for medical reasons- four people have been arrested.
Clay deputies were first tipped off by a neighbor who was watching the home while the woman lived with her daughter in Orlando. She had been gone for several months and hadn’t authorized anyone- except the neighbor- to have access. In fact, at one point they had the locks changed because they suspected people were breaking in, but they only gave the new key to the neighbor. She had left all of her personal effects in the home as well.
The neighbor’s wife reported someone she didn’t recognize coming out of the house. The neighbor went to check, but found out his key was no longer working. Deputies also tried using the key, but determined the locks on the home had again been changed- this time, apparently, by the squatters. The homeowner gave deputies consent to use force, if needed, to get in the home and find out what was happening.
Deputies started speaking through the window with one of the suspects, 16-year-old Hunter Webb. His exact statements are redacted from the report, but ultimately, deputies used a battering ram to get through the front door. The reports say Webb refused to comply with verbal commands and had to be restrained in order to be taken in to custody.
Another suspect, 23-year-old Shanna Carithers, then came out of the home and was taken in to custody.
The arrest report says deputies then entered the home and found a full grown Pit Bull that started to bark aggressively. One deputy used pepper spray to prevent the dog from attacking. Ultimately, the reports indicate two dogs were turned over to animal control. Soon after, a third suspect- 30-year-old Shawn Pons- surfaced and was detained as well.
The final suspect, 36-year-old Amanda Prevatt, was found in the back corner of the garage hiding behind a piece of plywood. The arrest report says she refused to come out and resisted when a deputy tried to grab her. A deputy and Prevatt both fell to the ground during the attempt to detain her, and the deputy suffered a minor laceration, but will recover.
Prevatt is the only suspect who declined to speak with investigators, although what exactly the other three told deputies has been redacted from the reports. Deputies did indicate that Pons initially told them one thing, but later changed his story.
Investigators ultimately determined the suspects had been in the home about three weeks, had changed the locks, and had been using the home’s utilities- which the victim was paying for.
All three were arrested for felony burglary and misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement without violence. Webb- who is Prevatt’s son- was booked in to the Duval Juvenile Detention Center. Prevatt and Carithers are both also being held on outstanding warrants from Duval County.
