Florida man accused of punching random people

LAKE MARY, Fla. - A credit union customer, a man sitting in his driveway, a gas station clerk and a customer were all punched by a stranger, according to deputies in Florida. 

Devin Ray Wilbanks, 23, is facing several charges including battery, assault, burglary, and resisting arrest. 

Hernando County sheriff’s deputies said the first incident happened around noon at the Mid-Florida Credit Union, located at 11098 Spring Hill Drive in Spring Hill. When they arrived, they were met by a woman who was a customer at the credit union.  She told deputies a strange man punched her in the forehead as she left the building and walked to her vehicle. Deputies said Wilbanks was not provoked and did not make any threats or statements to the victim who suffered a contusion.

Wilbanks left the parking lot and proceeded to a Circle K, located at 11091 Spring Hill Drive. An employee called 911 to report that a man was "hitting" people. When deputies arrived and made contact with the clerk, they said he appeared to be bleeding from the forehead, face, and mouth. The clerk told deputies that the man, later identified as Wilbanks, entered the store and began "swinging his fists" at another employee and tried to hit several customers.  

Deputies said Wilbanks then went behind the counter and "cornered" two employees.  One of the employees tried to restrain the man, but he broke free and proceeded to punch various items and displays throughout the store before striking a customer in the face and placing her in a choke-hold, according to investigators.  The employee attempted to intervene and was once again punched in the face, causing a large cut between his eyes, deputies said.

Witnesses said Wilbanks left the store and walked westbound on Spring Hill Drive.  According to deputies, Wilbanks encountered a man in the driveway of his residence and swung at him, hitting him in the face. The victim said he didn't know Wilbanks and assumed he was approaching to ask for directions.

Deputies eventually located Wilbanks at a bus stop on Spring Hill Drive where he was placed under arrest after a brief struggle, they said.  

Later in the day, a car burglary was reported in the area where the batteries occurred.  Investigators said surveillance video tied Wilbanks to the crime.

"They're [detectives] thinking maybe he was under the influence of some illegal narcotic. That hasn't been confirmed, but I can think of no other reason that you would just go beat up random strangers," said Denise Moloney, a spokesperson for the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. "They didn't do anything to him. They didn't say anything to him, and none of them knew him.