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Deputy may face assault charge

 
Published July 23, 1996|Updated Sept. 16, 2005

Prosecutors will consider whether aggravated assault charges should be filed against a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy who has been accused of hitting his son-in-law in the head with a gun.

St. Petersburg police were called to an apartment at 3649 30th Ave. N about 12:15 a.m. Monday after Deputy Raymond Reyes scuffled with his son-in-law, Richard Ramos, 25.

The deputy's daughter, Rosalie Ramos, and her sister went to the apartment and found the front door unlocked, police said. Mrs. Ramos, 19, was not expecting her husband to be at home, because she had not heard from him in several days, police said.

The two sisters went to get Reyes and they all returned to the apartment. This time, the door was locked, with Ramos inside.

After they entered the apartment, Ramos got a steak knife, police said. Reyes pulled out his off-duty handgun and ordered him to drop the knife. The deputy detained the son-in-law inside the apartment until police arrived.

Once there, officers were told by the son-in-law that the deputy struck him with the gun. Reyes, 43, a deputy since May 1981, was not charged.

No charges were filed against Ramos.

On Monday, the case was referred to the State Attorney's Office. Sheriff's officials were not conducting an internal affairs investigation, and Reyes remained on regular duty, said Sgt. Greg Tita, a sheriff's spokesman.