SPRING HILL, Fla. — Hernando County Sheriff's deputies are searching for a man who allegedly cut a person's face after accusing him of stealing his money and drugs.
Law enforcement and fire rescue responded to calls of an injured person at 2:15 a.m. on Saturday when a caller said a man was knocking on the door, asking for help. The caller described the man as having a "really bad gash" on his face, according to a news release.
When deputies arrived, they found the man heavily bleeding with a severe gash to the side of his face. He told deputies that he was at Steven Slattery's house on Treehaven Drive in Spring Hill when Slattery, 39, started accusing him of stealing his money and illegal narcotics.
Slattery cut his face with a knife when the man tried to calm him down, deputies said. During the incident, Slattery said he wasn't "afraid to go back to prison" and was willing to kill someone, according to the victim.
The victim ran away and went to a neighbor's house for help. He was transported to the hospital and will recover from his injuries, deputies said. Slattery also left immediately after. Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest to charge him with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Slattery has an extensive criminal history and has been booked into the county jail more than 15 times since 2013. His past convictions have been for charges of theft, drug possession and assault, among many others. He spent about three consecutive years in prison, according to data from the Florida Department of Corrections. The last time he was released was in March 2023.
Anyone with information about Salttery's whereabouts is asked to call Detective J. Tippin at the Hernando County Sheriff's Office or contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or **TIPS from a cell phone.
