It can start with a simple traffic accident – two cars colliding on a familiar street corner – and in a city like ours, it’s a scene that plays out daily. But what unfolded on West Hamilton Avenue and North Manhattan went beyond routine. A traffic crash swiftly escalated to an armed robbery, according to a post by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. On February 12, two drivers, following an unwelcome meeting of metal, moved to exchange information, a practice as standard as the yellow lines that run down the middle of the roads we share. Then, things took an unexpected turn.
One driver, identified as 45-year-old Jorge Rodriguez Leon, decided to take advantage – or at least, attempt to take advantage – of the situation. The account of events relayed by the Sheriff’s Office reports that Rodriguez Leon produced a bat from his vehicle, menacing the other individual involved and demanding a toll – $300 for vehicle damage. With no cash on hand, the victim was threatened once more, this time parting with a gold chain valued around $2,000 that once held place around their neck. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shared this narrative in their social media post recounting the incident.
The sequence of misfortune did not cease at the scene of the accident. The Sheriff’s Office discloses that Rodriguez Leon texted his victim, unveiling his address and demanding cash in exchange for the returned item. Upon the victim’s arrival, the cost of the chain’s return inexplicately grew from $300 to $500. Following this exchange, the victim contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (#teamHCSO), who subsequently identified Rodriguez Leon, issued a warrant for armed robbery, and implemented his arrest…