FRUITLAND PARK, Florida—A homeless man is accused of carjacking a taxi driver, crashing the car into a blueberry field and spitting on a firefighter’s boot Christmas night, according to an arrest affidavit.
A taxi driver received a call from staff at UF Health Leesburg Hospital to pick up Troy Ravin Yar, 23, who is listed as homeless, to transport him to a cold weather shelter around 6 p.m., the affidavit states.
As the pair drove to Fruitland Park, Yar struck the victim in the right side of his neck with his fist and said, “Get the (expletive) out, I’m going to (expletive) kill you,” near the intersection of Urick Street and Thomas Avenue, the victim told Fruitland Park Police Department. Trinity Assembly of God, 200 Urick Street, Fruitland Park, was the county’s only 24-hour cold weather shelter during the weekend’s “Arctic Blast.”
The victim exited the vehicle fearing Yar had a knife to his neck, he told police, and the victim had a large gash on the side of his neck, the arresting FPPD officer noted in the affidavit. Yar then took the vehicle and crashed in a nearby blueberry field and fled the scene. He was apprehended a short time later on County Road 468.
Yar told police he took the car because he wanted to see his brother; he then complained of knee pain and Lake County Fire Rescue responded to evaluate Yar. When they arrived, Yar allegedly said, “(Expletive) you, I’ll walk to the hospital,” and spit in the direction of a firefighter. The saliva landed on the firefighter’s boot.
Yar was arrested for carjacking, battery on a firefighter and leaving the scene of a crash involving damage. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $30,500.
