Orange County, FL - A 48-year-old Florida man has been arrested after allegedly subjecting a woman to months of captivity and abuse that ended in a multi-county car chase with authorities on Interstate 4.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call reporting an injured woman who escaped from a van and required assistance.
The victim told deputies she encountered the suspect, identified as Walter Medina, in January.
Medina allegedly provided the victim with food and drugs initially, but turned violent over time, inflicting severe physical abuse upon her.
The victim endured relentless assaults with a wooden baseball bat and flathead screwdriver, resulting in broken ribs, deep puncture wounds, and extensive bruising.
During a two-and-a-half-month period, the victim was forcibly transported around the Tampa Bay area by Medina, who allegedly threatened her with death if she tried to escape or seek help.
The woman managed to flee when left unattended at a Walgreens, prompting deputies to intervene and transport her to a local hospital for treatment.
An arrest warrant was issued for Medina, who led law enforcement on a multi-county chase.
The pursuit saw Medina driving recklessly, endangering other motorists, and ultimately crashing into a concrete median barrier.
Following his arrest, Medina was charged with aggravated battery, armed kidnapping, armed false imprisonment, attempted murder, tampering with a witness, and tampering with physical evidence.
He will be transported to the Orange County jail upon his release from the hospital.
Medina has a history of criminal activity, including previous arrests for false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and robbery.