Deltona Burglar "Chased By Dinosaurs" Before Home Invasion

Sheriff Chitwood says he'll most likely face enhanced penalties due to the state of emergency

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Deltona, FL - A wannabe Deltona burglar will most likely face enhanced penalties after he tried to break into a home during a state of an emergency – all while supposedly being chased by dinosaurs.

That's the story for 32-year-old Joseph Roberts, who was shot in the arm by a 42-year-old Deltona homeowner earlier this morning (March 31st).

According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, Roberts tried breaking into the home around 5:45 a.m. He can be seen on the home's surveillance camera running towards the front door before breaking a window with a hammer.

Roberts can be heard on the video yelling for help, saying "it's Joe," before asking to be let in. Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood spoke to News Daytona Beach and said that Roberts was asking for help because he was supposedly being chased. But, not by anything human.

"He claims that he was smoking bad marijuana and he was being chased by dinosaurs," said Sheriff Chitwood.

Chitwood added that the homeowner called 911 with one hand, while she held a firearm in the other. The woman could be heard talking to dispatchers, saying: “I don’t want to shoot him, but I’m going to have to! Get out of my window! Get out of my window!”

The woman fired one shot, hitting Roberts in the arm, and escaped to the back yard with her three kids and three of their friends.

He remained in the house, where he was located by responding deputies. He was airlifted to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.

The Sheriff's Office believes this is the 4th home Roberts tried to break into, therefore he will be charged with four counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling and four counts of criminal mischief. His bond is set at $64,000.

And the story doesn't stop there for Roberts. Sheriff Chitwood later told News Daytona Beach that Roberts will most likely face enhanced penalties since the area is in a declared state of emergency.

"We're going to ask that he be charged and convicted to a degree higher," said Chitwood.

The woman will not face any charges for shooting Roberts. There were no other major injuries in the incident, aside from cuts to the victim’s foot from stepping on shattered glass.