TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Reservist accused in priest attack takes his case to radio

Photo by Jason Ludwig

Police say Jasen Bruce attacked the Rev. Alexios Marakis, who was asking for directions.

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: November 12, 2009

TAMPA - A Marine reservist told a talk radio show host in Tampa today that he was just trying to defend himself against a man who grabbed his genitals and propositioned him Monday night when he clubbed the man with a tire iron and chased him down the street.

Jasen D. Bruce ended up being charged with aggravated battery. The victim turned out to be a visiting Greek Orthodox priest who said he was just asking directions in halting English.

Bruce took to the airways on the Bubba The Love Sponge morning radio show today. It was a friendly interview as the shock jock and the regulars on the show sympathized with the accused.

He told the story about how he got home and was approached by the bearded man wearing a robe and sandals. Bruce said the man propositioned him and grabbed him, and that's when he pulled the tire iron out of his trunk and clubbed the man.

He said he immediately called 911 and chased the man out of the garage three blocks before pinning him down. He said it's all on the 911 tape, which the police have not released, saying it is part of the ongoing investigation. He said the dispatcher told him not to chase the man because he could get injured.

Bruce also told police he thought the man was an Arab terrorist and feared for his life and that he thought initially he was going to be robbed.

Tampa police said that the priest, Alexios Marakis, was in Tampa on Monday for church business and got lost downtown. At the Seaport Channelside Apartments, he got out of his car, police said, and sought directions from Bruce.

Bruce was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and released after posting $7,500 bail.

During the radio show, Bruce was asked about a 2007 incident in which he was charged with battery on a tow-truck driver. He said that although he pleaded no contest and was fined, he was defending himself against the driver, who swung a chain at him and slammed his hand in a door.

Steve Ray Allen, who has owned Port Tampa Towing for 32 years, denied that.

He said he has had lots of run-ins with angry people over their vehicles getting towed. Most have cursed him out, some have even shoved him.

Allen, 59, said that no one has ever hit him like Bruce did on Halloween 2007 when Allen was called to tow Bruce's Jaguar from a parking space in South Tampa.

"In my life," he said this morning, "I've never been hit as hard, even as a kid playing football, I've never been hit as hard as this kid hit me."

He said Bruce sent him flying 6 or 7 feet through the air, landing on his back. He said Bruce's claims today on the radio that Allen was the aggressor are not true.

"This guy was just off the hook," Allen said. "The boy has an anger management problem."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT