As officers arrived they discovered EMS personnel were already on the scene providing medical assistance to the 87-year-old victim.
Officers were advised by EMS that the suspect involved in the incident was no longer on scene. Officer Marcum then approached a man identified as Allen Croskey, whom was thought to be a witness.
Officer Marcum asked Croskey what he had seen and it was at that time Croskey replied, “I hit my father in the head with a pipe.”
Officer Marcum then detained Croskey in handcuffs and placed him in the back of a patrol vehicle.
The victim had to be transported to ORMC.
Evidence Officer Yanik recovered a blood covered sledge hammer from the edge of the carport area, according to reports. Officers also reported a pool of blood under the carport with a trail, where it appeared as if someone had been dragged. The bloody drag marks left south from the pool of blood out of the carport and east into the yard where they continued into the bushes on the east side of the property.
Lying next to the drag marks was a pink blanket which was saturated in blood. A green blanket was also found spread out on the ground just north of the bushes.
Croskey was then transported to the Ocala Police Department for questioning.
Detective M. Steckman advised Croskey of his Miranda rights and he stated he understood and agreed to speak with Detective Steckman.
Croskey stated that earlier in the morning he had gone to the soup kitchen and when he returned home his father was going through the trash can under the carport.
Croskey stated that his father began yelling at [him] and accusing him of messing up the vacuum cleaner. Croskey stated that his father picked up a sledge hammer and motioned for [him] to leave.
According to reports, Croskey then told his father to “wait right there” and walked over to the neighbors yard, picked up a steel pipe from a chain link fence and returned to the carport. Croskey stated that his father asked why he had the pipe, at which time Croskey swung the pipe, hitting his father in the head knocking him unconscious.
Croskey stated that when his father fell to the ground he released the sledge hammer.
Croskey then picked up the sledge hammer and bashed his father in the face two times with it.
According to reports, Croskey told Detective Steckman at that point [he] believed his father was dead.
Croskey said he then threw the pipe back into the neighbors yard and hid the sledge hammer behind a chair. He said he then drug his father’s body to the bushes in the yard, and afterwards retrieved a pink and green blanket. Croskey stated he covered his father with the pink blanket and planned to wrap him in the green blanket then bury him.
Croskey was arrested and charged with Second Degree Attempted Murder.
Croskey has an extensive criminal history to include charges of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon (multiple), Resisting and Officer with Violence and Battery (multiple).
Croskey’s father was released from surgery and is listed in critical condition.