Brooksville man accused of serving alcohol at teen party and attacking three

BROOKSVILLE — A 41-year-old man is accused of attacking three teenagers early Tuesday during a house party at which he provided them with alcoholic beverages, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.

Curt Ridenour, of Brooksville, faces three counts of child abuse and a single count of an open house party. He was arrested that morning and taken to the Hernando County jail. As of Tuesday afternoon, Ridenour remained in custody in lieu of $10,500 bail.

According to an arrest report, Ridenour invited several teenagers over to his home in the 2300 block of Cross Tee Court early that morning. Ridenour, the report stated, offered the teenagers alcoholic beverages.

But at some point during the party, deputies said, Ridenour punched one girl in the right eye, causing a broken blood vessel.

Deputies said Ridenour grabbed another girl by her ponytail, pulled her head back and poured a drink into her mouth. Ridenour then grabbed the wrist and twisted the arm of a teen who tried to intervene, authorities said. Ridenour and the first girl once lived with her mother as "a family unit" for about eight years, the report states. Deputies classified the abuse as domestic in nature.