Photo for Headline Surfer / Scott Barkley of DeLtona is the sixth and final suspect aarrested for his alleged role in the armed invasion of a DeLand-area home at 1302 9th Ave. as shown in this locator map.DELAND -- Sheriff's deputies apprehended a sixth and final suspect wanted in connection with a Feb. 25 armed home invasion outside the DeLand city limits.
"Volusia County Sheriff's deputies located 19-year-old Scott Barkley at his Deltona home (Tuesday) morning and arrested him without incident," Sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.
Barkley was subsequently booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on felony charges of principal to home invasion robbery with a firearm and conspiracy to commit home invasion robbery.
Three people were arrested the day of the incident on armed burglary-related charges: Jose Santana, James Tailor and Jason Allen. A fourth suspect, Kenneth L. Williams, Jr. was arrested March 1, and the fifth alleged participant, Billy Ray Helt, Jr., was arrested March 19.
Here is a synopsis of that armed home invasion as described by Haught: It was an unusual Monday afternoon for one man in his home near DeLand when a neighbor rushed over to him, handed him a 1-year-old child and said, “Here, take my baby, take my baby. I was just held up at gunpoint.”
The neighbor then jumped into a truck and sped away chasing the men who had barged into his home and stolen cash from him at gunpoint. The impromptu babysitter called 9-1-1 and relayed what was happening as the events unfolded to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office until deputies arrived on scene.
Deputies initially arrested three men, charging them with home invasion and other offenses. The victim and his child were not injured, but one of the suspects was transported to Florida Hospital DeLand to be treated for minor injuries after being captured by a Sheriff’s Office K-9.
Another suspect was later taken to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach after a bullet wound was found in his groin area during a search at the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.
The chain of events started at about 3 p.m. at 1302 9th Avenue when the 37-year-old victim was home with his young daughter and saw four men with their faces covered and brandishing guns approach a back door.
The suspects stormed inside and demanded money from the victim who handed over more than $5,000. After quickly looking around the house, the suspects fled.
The victim then ran across the street, dropped his daughter off with a neighbor and asked him to call 9-1-1. He went back to his house, got into his truck and took off after the suspects who ran off. Deputies, DeLand Police Department officers and a Sheriff’s Office helicopter responded.
The first deputy on scene met with the victim near the intersection of 8th Laurell avenues. He pointed out the two fleeing suspects and after a brief foot chase, the deputy captured both Jose Santana, 25, and 19-year-old James Tailor.
A Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit then searched the area and captured a third man hiding in the woods. Jason Allen, 31, suffered a minor injury to his right leg after being bit by the dog. All three men were charged with armed home invasion and grand theft.
Tailor and Santana were also charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams after the drug was found in a backpack in the area where they were captured along with a BB gun. Allen was also charged with possession of a controlled substance after a baggie with some pills was found in his pocket and he was also arrested on a violation of probation warrant.
"It’s not believed that the home invasion was a random act, but the motivation is still under investigation," Haught said.
During a strip search at the branch jail, it was discovered that Santana had a non life-threatening bullet wound in his groin area.
"Santana couldn’t provide any details about how he sustained the injury other than stating it happened when he was running to hide," Haught said.