A Clearwater woman has been arrested and faces multiple charges after attempting to shoot a security guard at a local smoke shop, authorities reported. As per the Clearwater Police Department, 36-year-old Kelley Karabinos was involved in a verbal dispute inside the store before the altercation escalated.
Following her removal from the establishment, located off of Gulf to Bay Boulevard, Karabinos retrieved a gun from her car and aimed it at the guard. The WFLA news detailed that the firearm malfunctioned as she reportedly attempted to fire several times. Karabinos then drove away from the scene while continuing to point the gun at the security guard, trying yet again to discharge the weapon.
Clearwater officers arrived at the smoke shop during the incident and, thanks to the security guard's identification of her vehicle, apprehended Karabinos after she initially attempted to flee. According to FOX 13, police subsequently charged Karabinos with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, driving under the influence, and fleeing and eluding.
Further complicating her legal troubles, Karabinos was hit with an additional charge after being taken to the Pinellas County Jail. In the a statement obtained by WTSP, officials found three bullets hidden in her bra, resulting in a charge for introducing contraband into a detention facility.
