TAMPA, FL – A seasoned criminal, Joshua Grimes, allegedly committed an act of violence that nearly resulted in a fatal outcome, say prosecutors. In a recent bond hearing, the victim of Grimes- whose identity remains undisclosed due to the nature of the charges- gave a chilling account of their encounter.
The victim stated that he met Grimes on a dating website in October, and they had been seeing each other casually. When Grimes voiced interest in a serious relationship, the victim declined. This resulted in an allegedly violent response from Grimes.
The victim recounts waking up early on the morning of February 5 to Grimes breaking into his Tampa Lakeside Commons Drive apartment. According to his testimony, Grimes beat and strangled him, tied his ankles and wrists with a rope, and added shackles over the binds.
Grimes reportedly didn’t stop there, kidnapping the victim by forcing him down the stairs and into a car. During the abduction, he drove them to a McDonald’s drive-through. The victim seized the opportunity to yell out for help, causing Grimes to panic, park the car near a dumpster, and threaten him with a box cutter, the victim said. This was enough to prompt McDonald’s staff to call the police, who arrested Grimes within minutes.
In light of the harrowing events, prosecutors painted Grimes as a threat to society, urging the judge to deny bail and keep him incarcerated until his trial’s conclusion. Tampa Judge Catherine Catlin agreed, ruling, “You are a clear and present danger to this victim and, under the pretrial detention statute, you are a clear and present danger to our community.”
Grimes is currently facing charges of attempted murder and kidnapping.