A 60-year-old man has been in the hospital for the past two days, recovering from a brutal attack at European Village Tuesday afternoon that left him needing 50 staples and more stitches to his head and face.
The victim, whose name is being withheld, had just walked into his apartment that afternoon at the Palm Harbor condominiums, once set to be among Palm Coast’s luxury spots only to be converted, since the housing crash, into low-income housing.
Earlier that day, the victim had received a phone call from the man he was with. The man asked if the pair could hang out. The victim thought it was a strange request. But he went along. As the victim was walking in front of his bed, he was struck on the head with an unknown object, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office report on the case. He fell and lost consciousness.
When the victim woke up–he’s not sure how much time had gone by–there was a large pool of blood on the floor and his face was lacerated. The man who’d attacked him had fled. The victim discovered that his wallet was missing, as were a 90-pill prescription for Hydrocone, the pain reliever, which he’d filled that afternoon.
When a deputy arrived on the scene at 4:30 p.m., he described the victim, who was on his bed, as “covered in blood” around the head, with “a large laceration to the left top side of his head and another laceration to his right ear. There was a large pool of blood on the floor in front of the bed that had partially dried. There were several blood spatter spots on the east wall and door near his head.”
The victim was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler. Detectives said the man knows his assailant only by his first name and does not know where he lives.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911.
Rocky Mac says
We were saddened when this place started to go down hill. They recently put locks on the elevators due to strangers using the place to do drugs. Told to me by a resident.
Jojo says
There’s more to this story? To be continued….
patty says
Scary!!! But why would the victim want to “hang out” with, and invite into his apartment, a man he did not know too well especially since he thought that the man had made a “strange request” to hang out.
I feel sorry for the victim but I cannot believe that the two men were just passing acquaintances. There certainly is more to the story.
Justice for All says
Thanks again for reporting the facts and not sticking with the “Observer” script.
Spartan says
European Village was an eye sore when it was built and is still and eye sore. Just like everything else in this town…going to the dogs. Please don’t get me started on people who are walking their dogs around this city.
Doug Chozianin says
European Village is a dump.
Thank Mayor Jon Netts and City Manager Jim Landon.
Begonia says
Low income housing? When was it converted to low income housing? And by whom?
JOHN R. says
I agree. The Observer continues to protect the status quo and now they want to give us their version of the news twice a week . Looks like they are angling to be purchased by the Daytona paper. FlaglerLive, please keep up the good work in giving us the straight news without their usual slant. Electronic news is the future.
bmch4010 says
It isn’t these management realty co’s that put tenants in just don’t do credit checks and criminal background
bmch4010 says
I am an owner that lives out of state, last year came down every month and never have had any problems at EV. There are some ongoing improvements, it takes time since the developer peter roehr scewed this place over. I purchased it after the housing crash. Crime is bad everywhere across this country and this could happen anywhere. Drugs have infested this nation. I am from Huntington WV, AKA Little Detroit, there are always detroit people getting arrested for drug crime and murders on a regular daily basis here. Palm Coast is really a treat for me to come and enjoy. This 60 yo man should have never let this other man in his residence especially after just meeting him and on the way home from a drug store. This man was just not thinking, perhaps from his medication since hydrocodone alters your personality.
Flagler Citizen says
We have stayed away from this place for the past few years. Not only an eyesore but, a dangerous one at that. You can’t even walk there without one or more of the “pavers” coming loose and you end up with a broken ankle or worse. Just look at the exodus of business owners from the complex which, for the past year, has been more vacant than occupied.
palmcoaster says
I like the European Village very much and I go there for dinner or lunch every time my budget allows me. I never had a problem. Business are gone because of the economy not because the EV location. Look at the vacant stores in malls everywhere else. Other than bash the EV we need to use and support their business. I love my lunches at La Piazza great food, friendly service and great background music. Same at Mezzaluna, yummy pizza and the coldest beers. We do not get to seat outside and enjoy the outdoors in many places inside Palm Coast, except in the beach. Please do not bash but instead support our local small businesses as they sustain employees. C’mon..you are safer in the EV, than in any Carnival-Costa Cruise, that many here take all the time. I agree with bmch4010, crime is everywhere and EV is a jewel compare to other spots. Crime will increase unless our economy improves.
If I will meet a stranger somewhere and invite him inside my house will also be playing Russian roulette as well like the 60 years old did and won’t have Peter Roher to blame. I am surprise that our FlaglerLive have deemed low income housing those rentals..honestly I haven’t noticed ! I will pay more attention now. Hope will find out otherwise. Even our city is trying to help our local malls by organizing some of the self paid events on them. So please lets use more constructive critique? We all need it in Palm Coast.
Layla says
Good description of the situation….Palm Coast, a treat to enjoy, screwed over by developers.
Layla says
Have to heartifly agree with you, Palmcoaster. If you have not been to EV in awhile, GO! The restaurants there are wonderful, ALL of them. I’ve been shopping at Coastal Mermaid and the other stores there for years.
This place has always been my favorite. There is no place else in the area like it. It has some of the nicest shops and restaurants in Palm Coast.
It just needs to be better promoted.
patty says
Why dump on and blame the European Village for a crime that could have taken place anywhere in this city or for that matter anywhere else. The 60 year old man showed poor judgment, that’s all.
The European Village is a microcosm of the whole of Palm Coast. Almost every street/block has an empty run down house or two and every mall has a couple of businesses that have closed down. The housing market has collapsed everywhere, not just in the European Village.
In actual fact the European Village is better than most areas. There are at least four restaurants and several shops that have been open there continuously for over five years and new businesses are opening there right now. This past Christmas season the European Village had holiday lights, decorations and public events and activities that could compare with the best anywhere, and every weekend I have witnessed music and festivity in the courtyard.
Instead of spreading negativity based on gossip and hearsay, c’mon people, go there any weekend or weekday and see for yourselves.
palmcoaster says
Like above I did, I totally agree with Patty. European Village is the best place we have within walking distance to seat down and enjoy a meal or go shopping also. Was a visionary idea of Peter Roher providing to us all with a walking or biking distance “old world theme” shopping and entertainment place. The EV like many other resorts originated over the same idea in Florida, where units are individually owned called “condo hotels”, fail in some neglect due to the in fight among some the members owners for control of the HOA/Condo Boards, common areas, spaces and revenues just to satisfy the most prominent and not the membership as a whole. These places fail over greed of the few and the wrong people on their Boards and also at times, because their management companies picked, that do not provide the services they are being paid for. I know this well as I own a unit on a Volusia County ocean front resort and the same issues take place there. A group of greedy owners managing to be elected Board members have undermined the property and the lack of maintenance is visible around, but the few profit well by renting units to undesirables, some even with criminal background.
Here in Palm Coast finally the city is helping these malls by organizing some self paid events on them and we should sponsor their businesses.
How come there is little comment from some detrimental here, regarding some good old boy’s cover ups where, if I was the perpetrator I would have been seating in jail since the hit and run date? This is really scary and threatening to us all….and this was not anywhere near the European Village.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2012/02/04/decision-weeks-away-on-charges-over-palm-coast-killed-walking-dog.html
Brian L says
The same idiots who let all the section 8`s into our neighborhoods, this city counsel is more concerned with lining their pockets with red light camera money, putting up slum fencing up and down our streets, and selling off parcels of land to build tenements on, this used to be a very nice quiet place to live , intil these jackasses ruined it
Layla says
I’m with you, Patty. I love the EV. You don’t know what you’re missing by not supporting these businesses. They are some of the best in Palm Coast. And they are working hard to make it the draw it once used to be.
Each of those restaurants is unique and wonderful. We help them tremendously by remembering they are there and visiting more often, even if it is just for a glass of wine and an evening stroll.
You will be pleasantly surprised!