More charges filed in vehicle dragging incident

The Feb. 7 incident at East Royal Palm Avenue that saw two men get dragged by a pickup truck started over a Snickers bar and has ended with more charges filed against the driver and four juveniles.

Christopher Sullivan, 20, was originally charged with a misdemeanor count of leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury. On Friday, he was served warrants additionally charging him with two counts of attempted vehicular homicide and three counts of attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, according to Lake Placid Police Lt. James Fansler.

Sullivan remained in the Highlands County Jail Monday under a $140,000 bond.

The suspect reportedly tried to hit three juveniles several times with his truck after one of them reached into the window and grabbed the Snickers bar.

In retaliation, the three teens grabbed bricks from some nearby yards and threw them at Sullivan's truck to try and get him to stop, Fansler said.

The suspect drove away, only to return later with one of the victims, David Lee Caudill, 31, to get even.

Once the two returned, Caudill began fighting with the second victim, Larry Brian Hendrix, 19, according to Fansler.

The lieutenant added that the two simply got caught up in the heated situation.

"Neither one of them really have any hard feelings towards each other," Fansler said Monday. "They were just there to fight."

The situation escalated when, according to witnesses, Sullivan hit both Hendrix and Caudill with his truck and dragged them 370 feet along East Royal Palm Avenue, a Lake Placid Police press release stated.

After Caudill was freed from the truck, one of the juveniles kicked him as he tried to get to his feet, according to Fansler. Another started hitting him with a golf club while a third threw a brick at him.

These three - Alberto Arceo, 17, Edward Luis Noland, 16, and Shayna Michelle Souza, 15 - were all charged with attempted felony murder for hitting Caudill after he was already injured from being dragged by the truck, according to Fansler.

Arceo, Noland and another 17-year-old were also charged with throwing deadly missiles at Sullivan's truck rather than fleeing the scene, Fansler said.

Both Hendrix and Caudill were taken to Lee Memorial Hospital for injuries they suffered in the incident. As of Friday, they were listed in stable condition, according to the press release.

The two have been asking how the other's doing since they were admitted to the hospital, Fansler said.

Hendrix was originally in critical condition following the accident. Since then, rumors have swirled around the town of Lake Placid as to how severe his injuries really were.

One rumor was that he might lose his legs.

"As far as I know, his legs are going to be fine," Fansler said.