Bradenton man arrested for trying to break into vehicle at Waldo Motorsports Park; he allegedly said he wanted to have sex with a woman who was sleeping in the vehicle with her boyfriend

Staff report

WALDO, Fla. – Robert Wayne Powell, 46, of Bradenton, was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with burglary of an occupied vehicle and property damage after allegedly trying to enter a vehicle occupied by two sleeping people at the Waldo Motorsports Park and repeatedly saying he wanted to have sex with one of them.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the Motorsports Park early Saturday morning, where security officers told him there had been an altercation between Powell and a New Jersey couple.

The victim and her boyfriend reportedly told the deputy that they were sleeping in the back of their vehicle when Powell opened the vehicle door at about 5:48 a.m. and repeatedly said he wanted to have sex with the woman. The woman’s boyfriend reportedly got out of the car and got into a physical altercation with Powell; other people staying at the Motorsports Park ran over and helped hold Powell back, and the boyfriend eventually got back into the vehicle with the victim.

Powell allegedly returned later to the vehicle, ripped off a side mirror, and scratched a window, with damage estimated at $800. Security arrived at that point and detained Powell.

Security officers reportedly told the deputy that Powell kept saying he wanted to have sex with the victim and even offered to pay the security officers to facilitate that.

Post Miranda, Powell reportedly admitted opening the vehicle’s door and breaking the side mirror, but he later changed his story and denied both allegations.

Powell has no local court history but was convicted of disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer in 2023 in Manatee County. Judge Sean Brewer set bail at $55,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.