VERO BEACH — A man and a woman are behind bars after police say they forced their way into a motel room before dawn, beat a man with a baseball bat and held a knife to his companion while demanding cash and valuables.
Michael Allen Jackson, 49, and Leigh Hagler Kennedy, 47, were arrested within minutes of the April 21 attack at the Palm Inn on U.S. Highway 1, authorities said.
Vero Beach police officers arrived at the motel just before 2:30 a.m. after getting reports of a disturbance. They found a man inside one of the rooms with significant head injuries. A woman was also there, shaken but unharmed.
The victims had been living at the Palm Inn for several weeks while dealing with family problems at their regular home, according to arrest reports.
Investigators say Jackson and Kennedy knocked on the door, then pushed their way inside. Jackson struck the man repeatedly in the head with an aluminum baseball bat, while Kennedy waved a knife at the woman and ordered both victims to hand over money and jewelry, police said. The couple stole personal items and fled in a white Chevrolet SUV.
Patrol officers spotted the SUV minutes later and pulled it over. Jackson and Kennedy, who matched descriptions given by the victims, were taken into custody without incident. Officers said they watched the passenger try to stuff a purse into the back seat — property they believe was taken in the robbery.
The injured man was treated at Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital for his head wounds. Police later recovered the baseball bat from a dumpster at a Burger King on U.S. 1, according to reports.
Jackson faces charges of home invasion robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and giving false identification to law enforcement. Kennedy is charged with burglary with assault or battery and possession of a controlled substance.
Both remained in the Indian River County Jail on Saturday.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Vero Beach police or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-8477.