Friday, January 26, 2007
2 men held in home invasion
Woman swings an ax to counter gun, knife
By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]
WORCESTER— One of three would-be robbers who allegedly forced their way into an Illinois Street apartment Wednesday night and was fought off by a woman wielding an ax remained hospitalized yesterday.
Wesley Collins, 26, with a last known address of 31 Wyman St., was under police guard at UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus, in critical, but stable condition yesterday, with injuries that police say do not appear to be life-threatening.
Police said he was struck in the stomach with the ax when the woman fended off two of the intruders. One intruder brandished a handgun and another was armed with a knife.
While Mr. Collins was in the hospital, another city man police arrested for his alleged involvement in the home invasion was arraigned in Central District Court.
Quaiwea B. Slebo, 21, of 116 Canterbury St., Apt. 2, was allegedly one of the three men who entered the apartment about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, demanding “personal property,” according to a police report filed in Central District Court.
“At least one suspect was armed with a handgun and one suspect was armed with a knife,” according to the reports, which did not identify which suspect carried what weapon. One of five victims in the apartment at the time of the invasion “reported a gun was held to his head as the suspects searched the apartment.”
A fight broke out between the home invaders and the apartment occupants, and a 40-year-old woman was able to strike two of the suspects with an ax. The blows caused one of the suspects to drop a handgun, the report states.
“The suspects were eventually able to flee the apartment, additionally leaving behind a large amount of blood evidence,” the police report said.
The woman suffered a stab wound during the fight with the assailants. She was taken to a city hospital where she was treated and released, Detective Capt. Edward J. McGinn Jr. said.
Mr. Slebo was dressed in a hospital johnny during his arraignment yesterday. Sgt. Hazelhurst said Mr. Slebo was hit by the ax, but did not receive serious injuries.
Police were still looking for the third suspect.
Police were called by UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus officials after a man, later identified as Mr. Collins, arrived at the emergency room not long after the home invasion. Hospital staff reported to police that he was “bleeding profusely from what appeared to be an injury consistent with being struck by an ax.”
Someone drove Mr. Collins to the hospital, according to police reports. The five victims allegedly identified Mr. Collins and Mr. Slebo as two of the armed home invaders, the reports said.
A handgun believed to be used in the home invasion was recovered in the Illinois Street apartment. Nothing was stolen from the apartment, Sgt. Hazelhurst said.
Mr. Slebo was arraigned on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, using a firearm during a felony and home invasion. He was held on $50,000 cash bail and his case was continued to Feb. 23.
Probation officials also filed paperwork asking for a probation violation hearing on Feb. 23. Mr. Slebo had a marijuana possession charge continued without a finding recently.
Authorities are still investigating a Wednesday night home invasion on Southgate Street that was reported to police roughly 10 minutes after the Illinois Street home invasion.
“There are some reasons for us to believe they are related,” Capt. McGinn said of the two incidents.
Three men wearing ski masks forced their way into the third-floor apartment at 104 Southgate St. One showed a handgun and all three searched the apartment.
Police believe the Southgate Street home invasion might have occurred before the Illinois Street crime, but was called in afterward.
