Florida man holds Uber driver at gunpoint for dropping off his daughter

[Francisco 2.0 32393]

The original story:

https://weartv.com/news/local/milton-man-charged-with-holding-uber-driver-at-gunpoint-after-female-drop-off

Quote

 A Milton man held an Uber driver at gunpoint Saturday night after the driver dropped a female off at his home, according to an arrest report.

Sean Hollonbeck, 54, is charged with:

kidnap/false imprisonment
aggravated assault with a weapon
The incident happened Saturday night around 10:45 p.m.

 

Quote

Santa Rosa County deputies met the driver at a Circle K following the incident, where he told them his side of the story.

According to the report, the Uber driver said he picked up a "younger white female" in Pensacola and returned her to her Milton home.

Upon arrival at the home, the driver said Hollonbeck ran outside with a .22 rifle and started screaming at him to get out of the car. He was reportedly pointing the gun at him and threatening to shoot him.

The report states Hollonbeck then ordered the driver out of the vehicle and made him lay on his stomach in the roadway.

 

Quote

Hollonbeck made the driver show him his license -- which he took photograph's of, along with his license plate, according to the report. He reportedly also took photographs of the driver's ride service account and the address of where he picked up the female.

After all this, Hollonbeck let the driver go, according to the report.

The report did not specify Hollonbeck's relation to the female.

Deputies spoke with Hollonbeck on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, which is when he was arrested and allowed deputies to take the rifle. His statements were redacted in the arrest report that WEAR News received.

 

And now, the dad is giving his version of the story:

 

https://www.weartv.com/news/local/milton-dad-accomplished-veteran-tells-his-side-in-uber-driver-gun-case-involving-daughter

 

Quote

 Dr. Sean Hollonbeck’s name is highly-regarded in the local veterans community.

But the Army veteran and founder of an equine therapy farm in Milton says his reputation is ruined.

He was arrested this past weekend after an Uber driver reported that, Saturday night, he was forced to the ground at gunpoint after dropping Hollonbeck’s 13-year-old daughter off at home. Sheriff Bob Johnson described the incident as a "case of being an overprotective parent to some extent."

 

Quote

WEAR News spoke with Hollonbeck on Tuesday after he bonded out of Santa Rosa County Jail Monday night. He’s not backing down or saying he might have overreacted.

He wants everyone to know the gun was for his protection because he didn’t know who was in the car with his teen daughter.

“That vehicle was completely unmarked. In my mind this was not good, right?" said Hollonbeck, who's charged with aggravated assault and kidnap/false imprisonment. "And everybody knows what’s going on in this country with fentanyl and child trafficking and rape. Terrible stuff.”

 

Spoiler

Outside his Garçon Point home, there is a clear kinship between Hollonbeck and Athena, one of his therapy horses. He launched “The War Horse Project” for vets dealing with trauma and other issues.

“We deal with kids too," he said. "We have kids with autism, visually impaired kids. We do families, we do everybody. We do EMS. We welcome everybody out here."

But now, the money will be used to fight his legal battle instead of fund the non-profit.

“I’m gonna sell some of the assets. I’m gonna pay my attorney -- he just told me the fee," Hollonbeck said. "I'll shut it down. I don’t have a paycheck Monday.”

He was fired Tuesday from his job and dropped from firms he consulted on. His mugshot is a black eye on a decorated military career.

“I served 31 years, I was an Army doctor, I trained as a Navy flight surgeon, I served with the 7th Special Forces Group, I served with the 160th," Hollonbeck said. "I served six tours.”

He doesn’t believe he overreacted Saturday night, just before 11 p.m., when he saw a strange car -- with a strange man driving -- drop his daughter off.

She’d snuck out of the house, took an Uber to Pensacola and was returning home.

Hollonbeck says he called both the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County sheriff’s offices when his daughter was gone, asking for guidance after she snuck out.

He says the lack of help led to him making a split-decision to pull the Uber driver from the car at gunpoint until the driver identified himself.

"The vast majority of this story has not been presented to the public whatsoever," Hollonbeck said. "And the vast majority of this is related to parental rights."

"Obviously you’re talking about a young girl being out late at night," Sheriff Johnson said Monday. "If it’s my daughter, I'd be worried as well. But it’s important to get all the facts that you can get prior to engaging somebody."

Hollonbeck wants people to see him as a man who fought for his country and is now fighting to uphold his good name.

“In this country you’re innocent until proven guilty," he said. "If it goes to trial, I look forward to it because I want to get 12 moms and dads on that jury and judge if what I did was fair -- because I called for law enforcement and I didn’t get them.”

 

[atomheartbevo 89668]

16 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

“That vehicle was completely unmarked. In my mind this was not good, right?" said Hollonbeck, who's charged with aggravated assault and kidnap/false imprisonment. "And everybody knows what’s going on in this country with fentanyl and child trafficking and rape. Terrible stuff.”

[Neonmoon 38129]

Have fun in prison you dumb fuck 

[elfenix 34241]

20 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

“That vehicle was completely unmarked. In my mind this was not good, right?" said Hollonbeck, who's charged with aggravated assault and kidnap/false imprisonment. "And everybody knows what’s going on in this country with fentanyl and child trafficking and rape. Terrible stuff.”

child traffickers are well known for bringing your own 13 year old to your house.

[Larry T. Spider 1746]

I drove for Uber way back when it was a new thing in Austin. Rolled up to a house in pflugerville to pick up somebody with a man’s name. The garage door opens and a middle school/early high school aged girl start walking to my car.

When she was about halfway to the car, her mom pulls into the driveway PISSED off. She starts going off on the daughter and then comes at me. I show her the app and explain that I was here to pick up some guy.

Turns out it was the dad’s account and he was out of town. I pulled off and called the dad since his number was attached to the account and I was going to try to help him get out of the cancellation fee. He was a complete dick so I let it hit and went about my night. Glad I didn’t get shot.

/CSB

[Sawbonz 27562]

2 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

The original story:

https://weartv.com/news/local/milton-man-charged-with-holding-uber-driver-at-gunpoint-after-female-drop-off

 

 

 

And now, the dad is giving his version of the story:

 

https://www.weartv.com/news/local/milton-dad-accomplished-veteran-tells-his-side-in-uber-driver-gun-case-involving-daughter

 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Outside his Garçon Point home, there is a clear kinship between Hollonbeck and Athena, one of his therapy horses. He launched “The War Horse Project” for vets dealing with trauma and other issues.

“We deal with kids too," he said. "We have kids with autism, visually impaired kids. We do families, we do everybody. We do EMS. We welcome everybody out here."

But now, the money will be used to fight his legal battle instead of fund the non-profit.

“I’m gonna sell some of the assets. I’m gonna pay my attorney -- he just told me the fee," Hollonbeck said. "I'll shut it down. I don’t have a paycheck Monday.”

He was fired Tuesday from his job and dropped from firms he consulted on. His mugshot is a black eye on a decorated military career.

“I served 31 years, I was an Army doctor, I trained as a Navy flight surgeon, I served with the 7th Special Forces Group, I served with the 160th," Hollonbeck said. "I served six tours.”

He doesn’t believe he overreacted Saturday night, just before 11 p.m., when he saw a strange car -- with a strange man driving -- drop his daughter off.

She’d snuck out of the house, took an Uber to Pensacola and was returning home.

Hollonbeck says he called both the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County sheriff’s offices when his daughter was gone, asking for guidance after she snuck out.

He says the lack of help led to him making a split-decision to pull the Uber driver from the car at gunpoint until the driver identified himself.

"The vast majority of this story has not been presented to the public whatsoever," Hollonbeck said. "And the vast majority of this is related to parental rights."

"Obviously you’re talking about a young girl being out late at night," Sheriff Johnson said Monday. "If it’s my daughter, I'd be worried as well. But it’s important to get all the facts that you can get prior to engaging somebody."

Hollonbeck wants people to see him as a man who fought for his country and is now fighting to uphold his good name.

“In this country you’re innocent until proven guilty," he said. "If it goes to trial, I look forward to it because I want to get 12 moms and dads on that jury and judge if what I did was fair -- because I called for law enforcement and I didn’t get them.”

 

Unlimited access to ivermectin and he still caught brain worms

[Ted Lange 16085]

This dude definitely thinks people are giving out drugs for Halloween.  Absolute brain rot from doing his own research 

[Post Oak 20213]

Somebody from Surly wrote the article

Dr. Sean Hollonbeck’s name is highly-regarded in the local veterans community

[YGIFS 19450]

While I appreciate his service to the defense of our country, the fallout from this bizarre outbreak is going to be severe for him.  However, some of you can take solace in the fact that he’s very likely going to be the next governor of Florida.  

[Pato del Muerto 52498]

Dr of neighborhood?

[mdmost 43001]

Quote

Florida man

Didn't even need to read the rest. 

[Nivek 16930]

I didn’t think teens are allowed to Uber.

[Chooky 13307]

"I just want a jury of parents who will understand."  What if there's the parent of an Uber driver?

[fattyflattie 4639]

2 hours ago, Nivek said:

I didn’t think teens are allowed to Uber.

Think they just started up a thing for Uber kids.  They’ve been advertising for, but that is very recent.  Not sure how it falls in respect to this incident’s timeline. 

[Gatorubet 30238]

15 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Outside his Garçon Point home, there is a clear kinship between Hollonbeck and Athena, one of his therapy horses. He launched “The War Horse Project” for vets dealing with trauma and other issues.

“We deal with kids too," he said. "We have kids with autism, visually impaired kids. We do families, we do everybody. We do EMS. We welcome everybody out here."

But now, the money will be used to fight his legal battle instead of fund the non-profit.

“I’m gonna sell some of the assets. I’m gonna pay my attorney -- he just told me the fee," Hollonbeck said. "I'll shut it down. I don’t have a paycheck Monday.”

He was fired Tuesday from his job and dropped from firms he consulted on. His mugshot is a black eye on a decorated military career.

“I served 31 years, I was an Army doctor, I trained as a Navy flight surgeon, I served with the 7th Special Forces Group, I served with the 160th," Hollonbeck said. "I served six tours.”

He doesn’t believe he overreacted Saturday night, just before 11 p.m., when he saw a strange car -- with a strange man driving -- drop his daughter off.

She’d snuck out of the house, took an Uber to Pensacola and was returning home.

Hollonbeck says he called both the Santa Rosa County and Escambia County sheriff’s offices when his daughter was gone, asking for guidance after she snuck out.

He says the lack of help led to him making a split-decision to pull the Uber driver from the car at gunpoint until the driver identified himself.

"The vast majority of this story has not been presented to the public whatsoever," Hollonbeck said. "And the vast majority of this is related to parental rights."

"Obviously you’re talking about a young girl being out late at night," Sheriff Johnson said Monday. "If it’s my daughter, I'd be worried as well. But it’s important to get all the facts that you can get prior to engaging somebody."

Hollonbeck wants people to see him as a man who fought for his country and is now fighting to uphold his good name.

“In this country you’re innocent until proven guilty," he said. "If it goes to trial, I look forward to it because I want to get 12 moms and dads on that jury and judge if what I did was fair -- because I called for law enforcement and I didn’t get them.”

very good dad. Now the prosecutor will admit your video nailing every element in all of the crimes. Genius.

[Ted Lange 16085]

1st thing they need to do is take all this nutcases guns away, you pull sh!t like that and you should forfeit your right to a fireman.  This guy is gonna kill someone. 

[Pato del Muerto 52498]

Amazing how a message reinforced over and over can cause a man who, based on that video and his background presented, seems like an empathetic man who has chosen to care for people and animals, to behave so crazily.  
 

I will say that if he feared his daughter was missing or had run away, and then an unknown car pulls up, he might be on high alert and emotional.  And being armed as you assess the situation isn’t necessarily a bad idea.  But from what was presented it should have been very easy to assess the situation as a non threat.  
 

I mean, what was the daughter saying during all of this?

[Nivek 16930]

Seems like the guy is a little batshit and doesn't need to own a firearm.   You don't pull it out for protection, to wave around, to threaten.  You pull it out to kill.  I think people are far too conditioned from watching TV shows where law enforcement wave guns around at people and think this is OK.   

From the video: he claims that people are innocent until proven guilty in this country, but then held a man at gunpoint and forced him to prove his innocence.   

Probably just another case of REDACTED NEWS ruined my father.   

Edited May 11 by Nivek

[Sawbonz 27562]

13 minutes ago, Ted Lange said:

1st thing they need to do is take all this nutcases guns away, you pull sh!t like that and you should forfeit your right to a fireman.  This guy is gonna kill someone. 

[ztejas 43449]

Dude apparently doesn't know what Uber is. 

[Pato del Muerto 52498]

I’ll augment my position a bit and say that I just can’t comprehend an educated adult seemingly using the toddler level thinking of “the person bringing her back must be the person that took her in the first place,” nor how this got any further than her getting out of the car and saying that’s my Uber, dad.  

[HornOnTheBayou 8922]

1 hour ago, Ted Lange said:

1st thing they need to do is take all this nutcases guns away, you pull sh!t like that and you should forfeit your right to a fireman.  This guy is gonna kill someone. 

Sorry, nope. If the Founding Fathers wanted to take someone's gun away just for threatening an Uber driver, they would have added a clause about ride share drivers into the Constitution. 

Edited May 11 by HornOnTheBayou

[deadshank 24653]

Dude needs to enroll in his own therapy course.   What a kook. 

[miguelito 11266]

$10 says I can tell you what channel this guy's TV is on.

/full CR

[Braff Zacklin 13573]

Gotta admire the guy's ability to try and turn himself into a victim.

[Ted Lange 16085]

He’s probably a YouTube and podcast guy.  He doesn’t like the bias you get by watching tv.  

[Gatorubet 30238]

5 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I mean, what was the daughter saying during all of this?

That was the problem. She was singing Alice Cooper’s first hit. Dad saw young man driving and lost his shit.

[Bigbend1812 12915]

4 hours ago, miguelito said:

$10 says I can tell you what channel this guy's TV is on.

/full CR

Lifetime?

[atomheartbevo 89668]

5 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I’ll augment my position a bit and say that I just can’t comprehend an educated adult seemingly using the toddler level thinking of “the person bringing her back must be the person that took her in the first place,” nor how this got any further than her getting out of the car and saying that’s my Uber, dad.  

No kidding.  It’s like he doesn’t know shit about kidnapping - any competent kidnapper is going to follow the rule of The Golden Hour of Kidnapping, aka the first 60 minutes after you kidnap somebody is spent on the road and exiting the victim’s home area as fast as possible, even if that’s only 40-50 miles down the road depending on traffic.  Putting aside the fact that the person was dropping off his daughter, that area that they live in probably has quite a few door bell cameras and even a license plate scanner or two on cop cars, so it’s not likely to be a big kidnapping threat anyways. 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

You sound like you’ve kidnapped a person or two

[Gatorubet 30238]

https://www.miami-criminal-lawyer.net/blog/understanding-citizens-arrest-in-florida

 

Felony Citizen’s Arrest: Probable Cause

A private citizen has the authority to arrest a person for a felony under the following circumstances:

1. The felony was committed in the citizen’s presence.
2. A felony has been committed, and the citizen has probable cause to believe and does believe that the person to be arrested is guilty of committing it.

It’s important to note that private citizens can make a warrantless arrest even if they have time to report the crime to a law enforcement officer and obtain a warrant. However, the citizen must justify their failure to do so by proving that the person arrested was guilty of the felony.

So crazy dad on the video establishes that he had no proof of any kind that any felony had been committed in his presence.  He says this to defend felony kidnapping charges when he thought it a good idea to point a gun at an Uber driver and force him to leave his vehicle and get on the ground so dad could check his ID.
Instead of checking with an attorney before he gives a public statement, he goes ahead and justifies kidnapping and endangering the driver’s life by pointing the rifle at him - under the theory that some people sometimes are doing bad things…..somewhere (like the basement of a pizza place)….so he has to arrest this guy to see if maybe he is one of those guys.  

And he has gone to the Trump school of peremptory challenges in jury selection, as for reasons unknown he thinks he has a right to pick 12 parents who will understand him.   I hate to break it to him that being a parent is not a status where the state excluding them is a violation of his constitutional rights.   The states attorney can use its challenges to strike anybody that dad thinks will be favorable to him.    I am positive that Florida dad saw some YouTube video from some patriot in Muncie, Indiana explaining citizens arrest under the Constitution.   Good luck with that.  
And speaking of undefeated - while you’re in jail, your sneaking-away 13-year-old daughter’s social life is about to take a different turn while you are incarcerated.

['stache 21815]

This fucking country is broken. The whole conversation was his “right to defend himself” and his thoughts and perspectives, not that an innocent person was literally terrorized and made to fear for his life. Not a fucking word in that story about the victim. Also his fucking daughter ran away, no responsibility there at all? I hope this fuck goes away for a long time.

Edited May 12 by 'stache

[Trey3216 15346]

On 5/11/2024 at 12:27 PM, HornOnTheBayou said:

Sorry, nope. If the Founding Fathers wanted to take someone's gun away just for threatening an Uber driver, they would have added a clause about ride share drivers into the Constitution. 

They had ride share drivers back then as well.  

[DixonHur 11304]

5 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

And speaking of undefeated - while you’re in jail, your sneaking-away 13-year-old daughter’s social life is about to take a different turn while you are incarcerated.

The chances this guy goes to jail are near 0 in my opinion.  Before you scoff and say I have no idea how the la works, let me state my case.

1. It's Florida
2. He's white
3. He's "well-regarded" in his community
4. It's Florida

I just hope the Uber driver isn't a POC...otherwise he might get convicted of kidnapping the daughter.

I'm waiting for Gov. Go-Go Boots to weigh in on the situation.

 

[Bookman 4639]

The father's lucky the Uber driver didn't blow him away. 

[Gatorubet 30238]

The chances this guy goes to jail are near 0 in my opinion.  Before you scoff and say I have no idea how the la works, let me state my case.

1. It's Florida
2. He's white
3. He's "well-regarded" in his community
4. It's Florida

I just hope the Uber driver isn't a POC...otherwise he might get convicted of kidnapping the daughter.
I'm waiting for Gov. Go-Go Boots to weigh in on the situation.
 

yeah, the last comment was meant more for Snark humor than legal accuracy. I actually don’t see kidnapping. It looks to be more like a false imprisonment, which is a much more minor felony. 
I would normally see him pleading to some lesser included offense as a part of a plea that might include some type of deferred/expungement deal if he completes the probation.   There is actual justification for considering that society would not be better off with a veteran veterinarian with no prior criminal problems serving time.   And he needs to be out of jail in a few years to take his daughter out of state for an abortion and all.
The only question is whether he is a big enough shithead to insist he is innocent of everything and forces the DA to try his ass.   That might piss off a judge to give him a month in county jail for being a generic dickhead.  I have never practiced criminal law and I sure have never practiced in Florida (save a couple of pro hoc cases 20 years ago.)
We have some excellent criminal practitioners here who could give us the rundown.

[Jkwellborn 6702]

1st thing they need to do is take all this nutcases guns away, you pull sh!t like that and you should forfeit your right to a fireman.  This guy is gonna kill someone. 

Why should his house burn down?

[HenryJames 66052]

The internet was a mistake.

[royiv 9317]

I’m guessing this isn’t the first time the daughter has pulled some sort of stunt. Sounds like he needs to get his own house in order.

[smuggs 9353]

Dude seems strung-out. "And everybody knows what’s going on in this country with fentanyl..." Probably a good time to reconcile the meds cabinet at the Doc's practice.

['stache 21815]

50 minutes ago, royiv said:

I’m guessing this isn’t the first time the daughter has pulled some sort of stunt. Sounds like he needs to get his own house in order.

Yeah, probably mad at the daughter, and took it out on some poor innocent Uber driver.

[Gatorubet 30238]

34 minutes ago, 'stache said:

Yeah, probably mad at the daughter, and took it out on some poor innocent Uber driver.

I guess I just assumed that the driver was a POC and that he assumed the driver was banging his 13-year-old recently missing daughter - ‘cause not white.  Maybe Messican illegal.  Or some A-rab bringing Sharia Vet law to Milton.   

The guy got fired because of his Nuttery.  Since he is defending and not apologizing for what he has done, he might have a problem with future employment.   Ha, ha, ha, what am I saying?  He will get a better job somewhere else in Florida - or an Alabama - or Montana - or Ohio - or Mississippi - or Louisiana - or Texas or…..

[Pam Cummings 9642]

The guy is not mentally well. He should have been getting help for this a long time ago. We do not do that in this country. In this country we treat mentally unwell people by pumping them full of conspiracy theories and things to make them more paranoid and dangerous to society.

[wildcat09 29354]

12 minutes ago, Gatorubet said:

I guess I just assumed that the driver was a POC and that he assumed the driver was banging his 13-year-old recently missing daughter - ‘cause not white.  Maybe Messican illegal.  Or some A-rab bringing Sharia Vet law to Milton.   

The guy got fired because of his Nuttery.  Since he is defending and not apologizing for what he has done, he might have a problem with future employment.   Ha, ha, ha, what am I saying?  He will get a better job somewhere else in Florida - or an Alabama - or Montana - or Ohio - or Mississippi - or Louisiana - or Texas or…..

He’s gonna be Florida’s next Governor.

[royiv 9317]

12 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

He’s gonna be Florida’s next Governor.

DeSantis will appointment him to be his fentanyl and child trafficking czar.

[High Plains Drifter 11049]

2 hours ago, Gatorubet said:

I guess I just assumed that the driver was a POC and that he assumed the driver was banging his 13-year-old recently missing daughter - ‘cause not white.  Maybe Messican illegal.  Or some A-rab bringing Sharia Vet law to Milton.   

The guy got fired because of his Nuttery.  Since he is defending and not apologizing for what he has done, he might have a problem with future employment.   Ha, ha, ha, what am I saying?  He will get a better job somewhere else in Florida - or an Alabama - or Montana - or Ohio - or Mississippi - or Louisiana - or Texas or…..

 

Never saw it mentioned in any of the articles,  but I'd lay odds this is the case. 

 

 

[Jkwellborn 6702]

 
Never saw it mentioned in any of the articles,  but I'd lay odds this is the case. 
 
 

Considering how things are, I find it hard to believe that’s the case. Seems like it would have been the first thing we heard.

[bolverk 29672]

25 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

Considering how things are, I find it hard to believe that’s the case. Seems like it would have been the first thing we heard.

As far as I know, the Uber driver's name hasn't even been released, which also seems unusual. It could possibly mean his lawyer(s) are trying to keep it all quiet until it goes to trial. (shoulder shrug)

[DixonHur 11304]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

As far as I know, the Uber driver's name hasn't even been released, which also seems unusual. It could possibly mean his lawyer(s) are trying to keep it all quiet until it goes to trial. (shoulder shrug)

Surly lawyers...would the driver have a legit civil case?

[Dahobbs 17534]

30 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

Surly lawyers...would the driver have a legit civil case?

Yes. But I don't know if the good doctor has any assets that would be collectable. Homeowner's insurance might be in play. Also, I know that Uber has an insurance policy for its drivers, but I'm not sure if it would cover this. Really, any insurance coverage is complicated by the fact that this was intentional, very likely criminal, conduct as there are usually exclusions for that.