Police sketch details robbery suspect

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

HOMOSASSA -- The Citrus County Sheriff's Office has released a composite sketch of the man deputies say robbed workers at the Hairmasters salon at gunpoint Wednesday.

Investigators say the man, thought to be 65 to 70 years old, walked into the salon at 3914 S Suncoast Blvd. (U.S. 19) about 3:40 p.m. with a gun and demanded money. He ran away with an undetermined amount of cash, running toward Mr. Wang's Chinese restaurant.

The Sheriff's Office deployed a dog and a helicopter to search for the man but did not locate him.

The man was said to be wearing a maroon soft cloth golf hat, a short-sleeved, blue-and-white plaid cotton shirt and blue pants. He was described as soft-spoken with no discernible accent. He had no teeth.

Anyone with information about the holdup may call (888) ANY-TIPS.

In other news:

A Citrus County jury on Thursday found an Inverness man guilty of attempted aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a Jan. 29 dispute he had with his then-girlfriend.

Joseph Michael Boule, 39, of Inverness had faced a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His former girlfriend told deputies he threatened to kill her during an argument and went for a gun.

Witnesses said they had seen Boule walking around afterward with what appeared to be a gun sticking out of his waistband. But the defense said Thursday it was the handle of a knife.

In addition to finding him guilty of the lesser crime, the jury ruled that Boule did not have a gun. That was important, because Boule faced a minimum of three years in prison under the mandatory sentencing guidelines of the state's 10-20-Life law if he used a firearm.

Attorneys still had to determine the range of sentences Boule faces. He has spent six months in jail awaiting trial. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 30.

The Citrus County Health Department has closed the swimming area at the Hunter's Springs area of Kings Bay until further notice because of unacceptably high bacterial counts. For more information, call 527-5295. Citrus County Animal Control is seeking information on a kitten that bit a woman Monday at 5464 Chaparral Terr., Inverness. The kitten, described as a domestic shorthaired gray with tiger stripes, is 2 to 3 months old. Anyone with information about this kitten is asked to contact Animal Control at 726-7660.

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