CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. - Charlotte County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives arrested a man in connection with a purse snatching incident at Town Center Mall in Port Charlotte on Dec. 3, 2008. A 82-year-old victim incurred a broken hip in the incident.

Dustin Michael Tetrick, 26, of North Port was charged with Robbery by Sudden Snatching.

Detectives said the woman was walking through the mall parking lot when a man approached her from behind, grabbed her purse, pushed her to the ground and fled in a white car driven by another man. The woman was transported to Charlotte Regional Medical Center, treated for a fractured pelvis, and is now recovering in an assisted living facility.

Several witnesses gave detectives a description of the man, the vehicle, and a partial temporary license tag. During the detectives investigation they learned that the suspect, Tetrick, was arrested Dec. 19 on a shoplifting charge and was booked into the Sarasota County Jail. His jail photo was shown to witnesses and he was identified as the man who attacked the elderly woman. Detectives said Tetrick has prior arrests and convictions in Arkansas for similar robberies. Detectives say an additional arrest is pending as the investigation continues.

Detectives along with members of the Charlotte County and Sarasota County Sheriff’s warrant squads went to a home on Broadway Ave. on the Sarasota County side of Englewood this afternoon and made the arrest. Tetrick was taken to the Charlotte County Jail and is being held on a $250,000 bond.

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Information from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office