A Villager must avoid alcohol and cannot possess a gun as the result of a “manic” incident earlier this year at her home.
Joanna Hassano, 63, of the Village of Dunedin, is hoping to avoid prosecution on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by entering into a pre-trial intervention contract in Sumter County Court. The contract calls for her to seek a substance abuse evaluation and follow recommended treatment, not to consume alcohol, and not to be in possession of a weapon. If she can abide by the terms of the deal, the case will be dismissed.
Hassano was arrested March 28 after she called 911 to report that she had been involved in a “verbal dispute” with her husband at their home, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered that she was intoxicated. Her husband said that she had retrieved a 9mm Smith & Wesson M&P Shield semi-automatic pistol from a sock drawer in the master bedroom. She “slammed” the gun on the dresser, prompting her husband to take the gun away because he was fearful for his safety. She had also taken a rifle from a closet and was “swinging” it around. He said she had been in a “manic state.”…