Grandma Battered for Refusing to Pay $20 for Drugs, Cops Say

When a 74-year-old Sarasota woman refused to stop by a bank and get $20 so her grandson could buy Subutex, he attacked her and caused her van to crash into a ditch.

That’s according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office following the arrest of 28-year-old Stephen Shepard. Deputies say the incident happened Thursday just after noon along Vinson Avenue.

Subtex is used to treat opiate dependency, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Deputies say Shepard grabbed the van’s steering wheel, causing the crash. He then took off, but returned while deputies were on scene.

Shepard was shared with domestic battery on a person over 65. He has more than 14 prior arrests, including aggravated battery, larceny and drug charges, according to the sheriff’s office. Shepard was being held in the Sarasota County Jail Friday without bond due to an unrelated warrant from Manatee County, according to jail records.

Photo Credit: Stephen Shepard/Courtesy of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office