December 31, 2008
Brandon Haught
Public Information Office

MAN ROBS WOMAN AT GUNPOINT, CAPTURED NEXT DAY

A 24-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for robbing a woman at gunpoint and pistol whipping her the previous day near New Smyrna Beach . James L. Smith Jr. faces a charge of armed robbery with a weapon for the daylight confrontation. The 33-year-old victim was treated at Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach for her facial injuries and released the same day.

Melissa Koch told deputies that she was riding her bicycle to her boyfriend’s house at approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. When she got to the intersection of Spruce Street and Mary Avenue , a man stepped in front of Koch, forcing her to stop. Koch asked what he wanted and she said that he demanded, “Give me your money.” She initially refused, but the man, later identified as Smith, pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at her face. Koch then admitted that she had some money in her pants. She was forced to the ground and Smith reached into her pants and took the cash. Smith also went through Koch’s purse and took her cell phone. Finally, he pistol whipped her and then ran down the road. Once her assailant left, Koch got up and rode her bicycle to the New Smyrna Beach courthouse annex to report to deputies there what had happened.

The next day Koch’s boyfriend called the stolen cell phone and Smith answered. The boyfriend pretended that he was looking for some other man at that phone number and then asked Smith if he wanted to buy some guns. The boyfriend made up the fake gun deal in an effort to find where Smith was. Smith was interested in the gun offer and the two set up a place to meet. The boyfriend then told Sheriff’s investigators about the planned meeting, and they told him to not go. The investigators went instead and found Smith at the prearranged place. He matched the description Koch had provided, and Smith was using Koch’s stolen cell phone when they approached him. After Smith, who is from Palm Coast , was identified by Koch and interviewed by investigators, he was arrested and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach without incident.