Battery At Beer Can Island Under Investigation

APOLLO BEACH, FL — The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help identifying a suspect in a Saturday felony battery that occurred on Beer Can Island.

According to the agency, the victim, who isn’t being identified, became involved in a verbal dispute around 5 p.m. Saturday with a group of people who arrived on the island via a center console boat. The victim, an email from the sheriff’s office said, attempted to walk away from the argument, but the suspect “struck the victim in the face with a closed fist, causing the victim to sustain a broken jaw.”

The suspect, deputies say, then got into the boat and took off.

The suspect is described as a black male between the age of 20 and 25. He has a thin build and short black hair. He was last seen wearing khaki shorts.

The boat the man was riding in is described as an 18- to 22-foot center console. It had the words “Vida Loca Baby” written on its side.

Anyone who recognizes the man or the boat pictured is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 813-247-8200. Those who want to be eligible for a cash prize may submit tips through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), reporting anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or sending a mobile tip through the P3 Tips Mobile application, which is a free download for iPhones, iPads and Droids. In order to be eligible for a reward, tipsters must call Crime Stoppers first, the sheriff’s office noted.

The suspect in the case is facing felony battery charges.

Photos courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

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