PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — A man and a woman were arrested on Sunday in connection with two separate, violent domestic disputes that left one woman hospitalized with broken bones and another narrowly escaping an armed kidnapping attempt, police said.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department noted that the agency’s Criminal Investigation Division has assumed control of both active cases, and Chief Leo Niemczyk will provide more information at a news conference at 3 p.m.
Parking Lot Ambush
The first incident occurred just before 11 a.m. on May 31, when officers said they responded to an attempted kidnapping at the First United Methodist Church at 290 SW Prima Vista Blvd.
According to the police report, Jose Tsu Zamora, 64, of North Miami, ambushed a former long-term girlfriend as she arrived for Sunday services. The victim had previously secured a domestic violence injunction against Zamora in March, and he was already wanted on an active warrant for violating that court order.
In the first case, Jose Tsu Zamora was arrested following an incident in the parking lot of a local church. He is facing a long list of charges, including attempted kidnapping with a firearm, battery on an elderly person, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated stalking in violation of an injunction, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the PSLPD news release. (PSLPD)
When the woman exited her vehicle, Zamora blocked her path, grabbed her, held a handgun against her body, and began dragging her toward his vehicle, a dark-colored two-door hatchback, a reporting officer wrote.
The abduction failed when the victim threw herself to the ground to prevent being moved, according to police. Two male bystanders, who told police they were armed, intervened and confronted Zamora. Zamora released the woman and fled the scene in the hatchback. The victim declined medical treatment at the scene but reported physical pain from the struggle, according to the affidavit.
Police tracked down Zamora later that evening and booked him into the St. Lucie County Jail. He faces charges of kidnapping/false imprisonment and violation of an injunction, according to the news release.
Arson and Assault
Hours later, at approximately 9 p.m., officers said they responded to a residential emergency after a homeowner reported that her daughter was setting the house on fire and attacking her.
Arriving officers observed heavy smoke billowing from the residence and encountered Michelle Sylvia Jastram Picard, 26, standing outside, authorities said.
The second case involves Michelle Picard, who was also taken into custody over the weekend. She is charged with attempted murder, arson and resisting arrest in connection with an incident at a private home, according to police. (PSLPD)
Picard actively resisted arrest by pulling away from officers before being taken to the ground and handcuffed, according to the PSLPD report. St. Lucie County Fire District personnel extinguished the interior fire, and police escorted the victim out of the smoke-filled house.
The victim told investigators the dispute began after she confronted Picard about unplugging an indoor security camera. The victim later woke up to the smell of smoke, and when she went to retrieve a fire extinguisher, Picard blocked her, threatened to kill her, and began a sustained physical assault, police said.
See also: Who killed Derek Becker? Family speaks out for the first time in nearly 6 years
According to a supplemental crime scene report, Picard repeatedly struck the victim with her hands and a blunt object, bit her multiple times across her arms, hand, and body, and attempted to push her into the active fire. The victim managed to escape, lock herself in a bedroom, and call 911.
The victim suffered a severe forehead hematoma, a bloody nose, facial lacerations, multiple bite marks, and a deformed, broken wrist, police said. Paramedics transported her to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center for treatment. Picard was taken to Tradition Medical Center for medical clearance before being turned over to detectives. She faces charges of aggravated battery, arson, and resisting an officer.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. You can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 800-799-SAFE (7233) or texting “START” to 88788 for free, confidential support available 24/7.