published: Friday, February 15, 2013

Three AP women accused of assault and battery

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

AVON PARK -- Three women - Sabia Hicks, 23, Christine Packer, 26, and Candice Pough, 25 - are accused of burglary, assault and battery, and burglary of an unoccupied motor vehicle. Each one faces three separate charges.

The arrests stem from an incident on Fairview Terrace on Jan. 19.

According to the police report, at about 3:30 a.m. the victim was preparing for bed when there was a knock on the front door. Looking out the window the woman saw an SUV she had never seen before. She went and answered door and found a woman, later identified as Pough, standing there.

Allegedly, Pough began an argument with the victim. According to the report, while they were arguing, two other women left the SUV and joined Pough.

At this time, all three women reportedly began attacking the victim, pushing her back into the house. Pough is accused of punching the victim several times in the face.

The victim's boyfriend and she were able to force the women outside.

At that time, the police report states, the victim and her boyfriend could see her car being broken into. They rushed out of the house, the victim brandishing a big stick. Pough allegedly took items from the car and threw them into the street before being chased away.

One of the victim's eyes, according to the report, was visibly injured.

Packer and Pough were taken into custody Feb. 7, and released the next day under $12,250 bond. Hicks was in custody on Feb. 8. She too met her bond, set at $16,500, and was released on Feb. 9.

Packer's first court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 21. Pough and Hicks are scheduled for March 18.

According to the Highlands County Sheriff's Office records, Pough has been booked in the county jail four times since 2007, for out-of-county warrants. No additional information is available regarding those earlier charges.