Suspect sought in attempted murder
Haines City – Detectives have issued a warrant for the arrest of a Haines City man on attempted murder charges after he stabbed a man in the neck and collar bone during an argument just before midnight Tuesday.
Darnell Lee Richardson, 29, whose last known address is 1209 Avenue N, Haines City, is being sought after fleeing the scene of the stabbing.
The incident took place at a rooming house at 1209 Avenue N after the victim and his girlfriend were in a shared bathroom that all residents of the house share.
The victim told detectives a woman threw a bottle at the bathroom door because she said the couple was taking too long. When the victim and his girlfriend exited the bathroom, the bottle-throwing woman’s boyfriend, Darnell Richardson, pushed the victim’s girlfriend out of the way and began fighting with the victim for about five minutes.
After the fight, the victim and his girlfriend went into their room and closed the door. Richardson then kicked in their door and stabbed the victim in the neck with a small kitchen knife. After Richardson stabbed the man he told him to “drop dead.”
The victim then fled the residence and waited for help after 911 was called. He was taken to Lakeland Regional Hospital where he is in stable condition.
Detectives say Richardson and his girlfriend were last seen fleeing the residence on foot. Air, drone, and K-9 units searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.
A warrant has been issued for Richardson’s arrest for:
– One count of First-Degree Attempted Murder
– One count of Burglary/Battery
– One count of Simple Battery.
If you have any information about Richardson’s whereabouts please contact the Haines City Police at 863-421-3636. Anyone with information who wants to REMAIN ANONYMOUS and be eligible for a CASH REWARD is asked to call Heartland Crime Stoppers Florida at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477) or log onto www.P3tips.com to submit your tip via the web. For a secure and password protected mobile app for your smart device, go to the app store and download the free “P3tips” mobile app. No caller ID, no recorded lines, no tracking cookies, no saved IP addresses. Anonymity is GUARANTEED.
