A Florida man's beachside rendezvous turned into a bloody escape when, after agreeing to be tied up for sex, he was ambushed and attacked by a hatchet-wielding couple, authorities said.
The victim managed to flag down a deputy along a road in Ormond-by-the-Sea on Wednesday evening, leaving a trail of blood as he ran, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office as reported by ClickOrlando.
Described by responding officers as a "frantic male with no shirt yelling at cars," the man told the deputy he had been jumped on the beach by a couple who lured him there under false pretenses.
The suspects, identified as 24-year-old Wayne Streeter and 18-year-old Alana Cagle, reportedly arranged the beach meetup after Cagle picked up the victim and drove them to a secluded area near Michael Crotty Bicentennial Park, according to ClickOrlando.
The victim agreed to let Cagle tie him up on the beach under pretenses of having sex with her but grew uncomfortable and tried to back out after she bound his legs, according to an arrest affidavit.
While the victim was attempting to free himself, he noticed a man, later identified as Streeter, emerging from the darkness. The victim recalled Cagle jumping on his legs as he struggled to untie the rope. He eventually freed himself, but Streeter allegedly chased him down, tackled him, and began choking him. Moments later, Cagle reportedly joined in, striking the victim with what appeared to be a hatchet and punching him "all over," per the affidavit.
After escaping the assault, the victim ran up Atlantic Avenue, where he was able to wave down a deputy. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of multiple injuries, including deep lacerations on his legs and back and several long cuts on his abdomen.
Meanwhile, an Ormond Beach police officer stopped Cagle's vehicle nearby, finding Streeter in the passenger seat and the victim's blood on the car. A backpack confirmed to belong to the victim was also found inside. Police later found a hatchet sheath, rope, and other items scattered on the beach, along with signs of a struggle in the sand.
Streeter claimed he and Cagle went to the beach alone and alleged he saw the victim push Cagle, prompting his violent response. However, he later admitted to attempting to choke the man "for her," according to the sheriff's office.
Both Streeter and Cagle were arrested on aggravated battery charges with a deadly weapon and have since been released on $5,000 bond each.
