Fla. father arrested for beating alleged molester

DAVIE, Fla. — A father who thought his 3-year-old had been molested has been charged with attempted murder after police say he severely beat the man suspected of fondling his son.

The beaten man has been hospitalized and is in a coma, and a neighbor police say took part in the attack has also been charged with attempted murder.

Luke Petruschke, 38, spent the night at the home of Manuel Vidal Vega in the 5100 block of Davie Road and was preparing to drive away Saturday morning when Vega's child said he had been molested, police said.

Vega, 27, immediately confronted Petruschke and soon was joined by his neighbor Krish Carter, 33. The two men smashed out the windows on Petruschke's car, dragged the driver out and pummeled him with punches, kicks, pieces of concrete and whatever else they could get their hands on, investigators said.

When officers came to arrest him, Vega reportedly said: "That is my son, man. What would you do?"

Officers had initially come to Vega's home in response to a report of a child being molested, said Davie police spokesman Sgt. Greg Gasse.

When officers arrived, though, they found Petruschke injured. He stumbled out of a nearby wooded area upon seeing officers, his face and the rest of his head bloodied and severely swollen, police said. Vega and Carter told officers Petruschke had been in a car accident, but police determined that the damage to Petruschke's vehicle indicated otherwise.

A neighbor later came forward and told police that he had witnessed Vega and Carter beating Petruschke and smashing the car and called 911.

Vega and Carter were arrested and were being held Saturday night without bond at the Broward County Jail.

Petruschke was hospitalized, placed in a medically induced coma and put in intensive care. Police said they plan to charge him with lewd and lascivious molestation if he recovers.