Battery suspect, shot by deputy during altercation, now in custody. charged with attempted murder of deputy

Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO)

Citrus County, Florida - On Monday, August 19, 2024, 41 year-old Paul David Badovinac of Homosassa, Florida was arrested on charges related to an incident that occurred on Thursday, August 8, 2024, when deputies were dispatched to a residence on West Jarovi Court in Homosassa, due to a report of an elderly victim being battered.

When deputies encountered Badovinac, the suspect of the crime, at the residence, he ran from the home into a wooded area, pursued by one of the deputies. In the middle of a heavily wooded area off West Linden Drive, Badovinac began fighting the deputy - whose name has not been released - during which Badovinac attempted, several times, to remove the deputy's service weapon from its holster.

According to several CCSO press releases, Badovinac released his grip on the deputy's weapon to arm himself with a knife, "threatening the deputy, who was only a few feet away...The deputy drew his service weapon and fired two rounds at Badovinac, immediately stopping the threat."

Badovinac received medical aid on the scene and was transported to a local hospital.

Upon his release from the hospital on August 14, 2024, Badovinac was transported to the Pasco County Detention Center in Land O Lakes, Florida on charges of violation of probation and felony battery of an elderly person.

On August 19, 2024, Badovinac was transferred to the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, Florida by CCSO Major Crimes Unit Detective Roscoe Watts, booked into the facility on three charges related to the altercation with the CCSO deputy on August 8: attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, depriving an officer of means of protection or communication, and resisting an officer with violence. Badovinac will be held at the facility without bond.

"Deputies put their lives on the line each and every day," said Citrus County Sheriff Michael Prendergast. "This deputy's training, self-awareness, and grit kept him one step ahead of the suspect's actions, which led to the use of deadly force. We will work closely with our partners in the Fifth Judicial Court to keep Badovinac in custody and away from society."

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave, and the shooting of Badovinac will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.