[PHOTO CREDIT: James Hope, J.D.]
[Original Publish Date: 10/23/19]
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MOUNT DORA, Florida – The second suspect in a terrifying armed robbery of a local restaurant has been arrested. A spokesperson for the family that owns the Vincent’s Italian Restaurant told Lake Legal News Anthony Sweet, 38, of Mount Dora was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon.
Sweet was booked into the Orange County Jail on armed robbery with a mask and grand theft with a mask charges. At press time, no bond information was available from the Orange County Jail’s website.
Around 12:15 a.m. Oct 14, two armed, masked men came through the back door of Vincent’s Italian Restaurant, 5914 N. Orange Blossom Trail, one with a long rifle and the second with small handgun. (The restaurant has a Mount Dora address, but is in Orange County.) They ordered two employees to the floor and robbed the restaurant, getting away with an undisclosed amount of money.
Lake Legal News was the only media organization to have the surveillance video.
Click the first play button below to watch the video.
Note that the restaurant time stamp is one hour and 14 minutes behind:
Last week, Orange County deputies spotted the car involved in the robbery just before midnight Oct. 21 and attempted to pull the car over. The driver fled into the city limits of Mount Dora, eventually crashing near Mount Dora High School and Mount Dora Middle School. The two occupants bailed, causing both schools to be put on lockdown while they attempted to apprehend the suspects, according to Orange County Sheriff’s officials.
A female passenger was caught almost immediately. The male, later identified as Charles Gunn, 32, disappeared and Orange County deputies believed he ran into an unoccupied City of Mount Dora public works building. Orange County’s SWAT team used SWAT vehicles to breach the building, including tearing to roof off. Gunn was not inside.
He was arrested later that afternoon by Mount Dora Police after residents spotted him acting suspiciously and let police know. The responding officer found Gunn in the area near East Lincoln Avenue and North Orange Street and saw him trying to conceal himself. He fled and the officer deployed his taser, striking Gunn in the right rib area with two probes. He ripped the probes out and began to run again. He was tackled and taken into custody.
Gunn is currently in the Lake County Jail facing a charge of resisting arrest and his bond has been revoked on prior charge of grand theft.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. In addition, she has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
