Local

Father and son face charges for attack on local woman

HASTINGS, Fla. — Strangulation, kidnapping and false imprisonment are just some of the charges facing a father and son from St. Johns County, who investigators said teamed up and attacked a local woman. 

It all began at a home in rural Hastings where the suspect and victim both live.

According to St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan, 47-year-old Martin Craig Nuss Sr. and 24-year-old Martin Craig Nuss Jr. held a woman there against her will early Saturday morning.

"There was a verbal altercation, which then escalated to the use of beating the individual with a ceramic item," said Mulligan.

According to the police report, the elder Nuss tried to strangle the victim with a fabric belt until she passed out. He later put a gun to her head and threatened to kill her.  

"It escalated to giving instructions to his adult son, who then in fact followed through and basically guarded the door so the victim couldn't leave," said Mulligan.

According to reports, the argument involved concerns from the victim about the younger Nuss staying at the home. Martin Nuss Jr. has been arrested in  St. Johns County at least five times before. 

Mulligan said the woman's injuries are consistent with her account of what happened. She is recovering.

St. Johns County sheriff's deputies have responded to the home three times this year but none of the calls were for domestic disturbances.

Both the father and son are free on bond.