A Wahneta man was arrested yesterday afternoon after attempting to carjack a Frontier Communications contractor at gunpoint, as per reports from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. According to WFLA, the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Erasuro Mascorro Jr., approached the contractor's vehicle near the intersection of 1st Street West and Rifle Range Road and threatened him with a handgun.
The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. with the victim quickly locking his vehicle doors and escaping the scene to immediately call 9-1-1, giving a suspect description to the responding deputies, in a swift series of events that saw police aviation and K9 units, including K9 Ketchum, quickly respond and discover a man matching the description of the suspect at 103 Bomber Road; he fled into a wooded area when approached by deputies.
Mascorro was promptly apprehended by K9 Ketchum after a short chase and was later positively identified by the victim as the would-be carjacker. During questioning, Mascorro reportedly admitted to detectives that he couldn't recall the events because he "blacked out," saying he used PCP and meth prior on the same day, as FOX 13 News reported.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd remarked, "Erasuro Mascorro is a very dangerous individual," citing that not only did Mascorro confess to using illegal drugs, but he also has a violent criminal history, and as a now-known armed individual posed a significant threat to community safety, as he emphasized following the arrest. According to Tampa Free Press, Mascorro's charges include attempted armed carjacking, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and resisting arrest with additional past arrests for methamphetamine possession, battery on a pregnant woman, and child abuse compounding his already troubling profile.
Mascorro is presently detained at the Polk County Jail, and thanks to the collective efforts of the PCSO deputies, aviation, and K9 units, the contractor was unharmed and a potentially hazardous confrontation was avoided ensuring the continued safety of the Polk County community. With local law enforcement demonstrating their resilience and dedication to serving and protecting the citizens of Polk County despite the sudden and unpredictable nature of such encounters.
