By JEREMY MAREADY
The Ledger
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Two would-be thieves didn’t count on a motion alarm and a gun-toting 70-year-old Winter Haven man when they tried to steal the batteries from his golf cart, according to Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports.
Robert Rowley, of 28 Henry Drive in Winter Haven, awoke to the sound of a motion sensor alarm about 2:15 a.m. Monday.
When the alarm sounded, he grabbed his handgun and flashlight to investigate, sheriff’s reports said.
As he walked outside his home, he saw two men, who investigators said were trying to cut the cables to the battery packs on Rowley’s golf cart.
When he challenged them, one of the men began to walk in Rowley’s direction, he told investigators he tried to scare the men away by firing his gun.
Rowley fired three shots - once in the air, another at the ground and a third at the men’s truck as they tried to quickly get away.
Deputies were later called to Winter Haven Hospital for two men who showed up with gun shot wounds, reports said.
After talking to the men and to Rowley, deputies charged Matthew Alan Clinage, 20, and Christopher Polson, 21, with grand theft and burglary of an occupied residence, reports said.
Clinage was also charged with violation of community control for a previous conviction of grand theft of a firearm.
Rowley told deputies he didn’t realize his shots had struck either man.
Clinage was struck in the leg and Polson in the head and neck area.
Clinage was treated and taken to the Polk County Jail, while Polson was taken to Tampa General Hospital where he remained in stable condition. He will be booked into the jail later, officials said.
Copyright 2010 Lakeland Ledger Publishing Corporation