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Jerquila Bell

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published: Sunday, November 25, 2012

Woman beaten with chair, robbed

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Orlando resident Jerquila Bell, 27, was booked into the Highlands County jail on Tuesday and charged with three felonies: aggravated battery, kidnap-false imprisonment and robbery with a weapon. The weapon was a pink metal folding chair.

According to Highlands County Sheriff's Office report, the story began in Orlando on or about Oct. 22, when a 24-year-old Avon Park woman visited Bell at her residence there. She was supposed to stay only a day or two, she said.

Soon after she arrived, however, Bell allegedly began asking the victim for her food stamp card and for cash loans. The victim refused. Bell became angry and would not give her a ride back to Highlands County.

The victim said it wasn't until Nov. 3, about two weeks later, that she was able to leave Bell and find a ride back home.

On Nov. 4, Bell allegedly called the victim saying she was in town with some friends and invited the victim to a party at Sierra's nightclub in Avon Park. The victim agreed to attend.

The victim told investigating officers that Bell picked her up driving a brown Mercury Marquis with a temporary tag. She added that there also were two female passengers who were Bell's friends.

Arriving at the club, however, it appeared to be closed. At that moment, the victim said, she feared she might have been set up.

Bell allegedly pulled the car to the side of the road, directly across the street from Sierra's alongside the northbound lane of U.S. 27, and ordered her out the car, using abusive language.

According to the victim, Bell then got of the car, came to her door, pulled her out of the car and punched her in the face.

The victim told investigators she staggered away, attempting to flee. One of the other two passengers -- neither of whom was identified in the report -- then allegedly ran up behind the victim grabbed her by her hair and attempted to drag her back to the car.

Meanwhile, Bell allegedly opened the trunk of her car, pulled out a pink metal folding chair and used it to strike the victim in the face, head and left shoulder area. The victim said she fell to the ground and the passenger who had dragged her back to the car grabbed her hair again to pin her face to the ground.

Bell allegedly continued to beat the victim on her head, face and shoulder.

The remaining passenger is said to have yelled at Bell, "Stop it. You're going to kill her."

The victim told investigators that Bell then threw the chair back into the trunk of the car, took her shoes and wallet and left the scene.

The police report states that the victim then lay in the road until discovered by two passing motorists who rendered aid and drove the victim to her home.

The next day, Nov. 5, the victim contacted the sheriff's office.

The stolen shoes cost $285. Her wallet contained $50 and an Amscot card with a $100 balance. The total amount of the theft was $425.

According to the police report, the victim suffered multiple lacerations, swelling of her upper lip, a contusion to her head and bruising of the right side of her face, left shoulder and upper arm areas. The report states the victim successfully identified Bell.

Bell is currently in the Highlands County jail, being held on an $80,000 bond.