A Florida man has been arrested for kidnapping and torturing a woman while holding her captive for months.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Walter Medina, 48, met the woman in January while she was panhandling in Tampa and gave her food and drugs, then eventually began hitting her with a wooden baseball bat and a flat head screwdriver.
The woman escaped him on Monday when he left her alone at a Walgreen’s in Seffner for a short period. She sought help, and deputies found her with numerous injuries to her face and body and took her to a hospital for treatment.
Medina fled the scene, leading law enforcement on a chase through three counties at speeds approaching 100 mph on Interstate 4. He was captured when he crashed into a concrete barrier at the John Young Parkway exit. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries and will be booked into the Orange County Jail on various traffic-related charges when he’s released.
Meanwhile, in Hillsborough County, he faces charges of attempted second-degree murder with a weapon, armed kidnapping, armed false imprisonment, aggravated battery with great bodily harm and a deadly weapon, tampering with a witness, and tampering with physical evidence.
Deputies said the victim was found with broken ribs, deep puncture wounds, extensive bruising, and other severe injuries.
“I can’t imagine the torture this victim endured for months, but I can imagine the relief she felt when our deputies arrived,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “I have to commend the bravery of the victim for escaping her captor and seeking help. Our thoughts are with her as she recovers from this traumatic ordeal.”
WFTS said Medina served time in prison in 1999 on another false imprisonment charge and has an arrest history that includes kidnapping, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and robbery.
