Oxycontin News Blog

"You got chocolate in my iPod!" "You got iPod in my chocolate!"

DELTONA -- Four people were arrested after a Monday morning home invasion north of DeLand, but authorities said they have few leads in a pair of armed invasions last week in Deltona.

Officials with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said they don't think Monday's invasion was linked to similar crimes in Deltona on Thursday night and early Saturday morning.

Even though no arrests have been made in the Deltona invasions, authorities said there's no need for alarm among residents because they doubted the crimes were random.

Intruders possibly knew some of the residents and targeted the two homes because they thought drugs and money were inside, officials said.

During the first Deltona attack, a man was beaten and pistol-whipped and a woman was sexually assaulted, according to police reports. In the second attack, an elderly couple and their son were held hostage, and the invaders fled with thousands of dollars in jewelry and cash, as well as the family vehicle.

What the three incidents have in common is that none involved a break-in. Two homes left their doors unlocked, and an occupant of the home outside DeLand allowed the invaders in.

In the Monday incident on Kensington Road near DeLand, a 19-year-old woman answered a knock on the door about 12:55 a.m. while the home's eight other occupants, including five children, slept.

According to a police report, she was attacked by a masked woman armed with a gun. Kenneth Apostolico, 55, heard the commotion and rushed to help. By then, a masked man had entered the house and hit Apostolico in the head with a metal baseball bat.

The female intruder fired a gun at Apostolico's wife, then grabbed a safe containing medications Apostlico said he takes for a spinal injury -- OxyContin and Valium.

The family recognized the female intruder when someone pulled off her mask. Apostolico said she had visited the home several times during the past week, though he wouldn't provide details.

After the attack near DeLand, deputies in Deltona spotted a car fitting the description of the one used in the home invasion.

Jacqueline Lee, 20, of Deltona was arrested on charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Stephen Bardwell, 28, of Lake Helen was charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery and false imprisonment.

Two people police said were riding with them were Jesse Wagner, 20, and Nicole Henson, 28, both of Deltona. Both were charged with being a principal to armed robbery and principal to false imprisonment.

On Monday afternoon, Apostolico was still struggling to come to terms with what happened and where he will keep his medication.

Sheriff's officials said they think the two unsolved invasions in Deltona could be connected because both involved four armed intruders who wore masks and held their victims hostage, and who fled in the victims' vehicles.

News of the attacks spread across west Volusia, but residents in Deltona said they were not surprised by the violence.

They said the incidents, while not reason for concern, would remind them to check their doors and windows before heading to bed at night.

"I don't think people are safe anywhere they are these days," said Islande Stuppard, who lives with her family on Randolph Street, where Saturday's invasion occurred. "Everywhere you go, you always have to keep watch."

Denise-Marie Balona can be reachedat dbalona@orlandosentinel.com or386-851-7916.

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