A father and son from Dunnellon who were convicted of ambushing and brutally attacking a bicyclist at a local Circle K, have both been sentenced to over 15 years in prison.
On Friday, November 1, the State Attorney’s Office for the Fifth Judicial Circuit announced that 50-year-old Vincent Paul Gaudio and his son, 18-year-old William Trent Gaudio, were sentenced in their aggravated battery with great bodily harm and tampering with a witness case.
Vincent was sentenced to 15 years and William was sentenced to 20 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. In September of this year, Marion County jurors found both defendants guilty of attacking another man at the Circle K located off N Williams Street in Dunnellon.
According to court records, on September 4, 2023, the victim was riding his bicycle away from the Circle K convenience store when two men – later identified as Vincent and William – emerged from a nearby wooded area.
Vincent and William proceeded to approach the victim and grabbed his bicycle, which caused the victim to fall to the ground. While on the ground, Vincent and William punched and kicked the victim in his head and chest.
The victim attempted to call 911 during the attack. However, Vincent and William grabbed the victim’s cellphone and smashed it before he could speak with law enforcement.
Court records show that Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Circle K in reference to the altercation. Upon arrival, they observed that the victim’s face was swollen, with hemorrhaging to his eye and a hematoma on his lip.
After paramedics tended to the victim, he was transported to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured orbital bone.
“The victim in this case was targeted and brutally attacked by the defendants,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “I believe the court’s sentencing decision greatly reflects the severity of the crime and guarantees justice for the victim.”