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Man Shot By Deputy Is Jailed On Assault Counts

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By LISA A. DAVIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - A 23-year-old man shot in the chest by a deputy last week is out of the hospital and behind bars.

Stephen Miholics, of 3450 Devonshire Drive, Holiday, was booked into the Land O' Lakes Jail on Monday evening on two counts of aggravated assault. His bail is set at $50,000.

Pasco County deputies were responding to a domestic call the night of Oct. 16 at his mother's house, where he had been living the past couple of months, and were met by a drunken and agitated Miholics.

Officials say the man had knives in each hand, refused to drop them and lunged at the two deputies. Deputy John Ardolino fired one shot at Miholics, who was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Dorothy Miholics said her son came home drunk and upset the night of the shooting. He had been down on his luck, unable to find a job since moving back from Texas and was worried about a notice from New York, another former place of residence, that he had to pay traffic fines or go to jail.

Miholics broke a couple of windows in their Beacon Square home, his mother said, and his ranting prompted his younger sister to dial 911.

Her son went outside with a metal spatula, Dorothy Miholics said, and she saw nothing else in his hands.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents are investigating the shooting and won't comment on what evidence was gathered at the scene.

In the meantime, Ardolino is on paid administrative leave, as is routine, pending the outcome of the FDLE investigation.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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