UNDERCOVER AGENT PISTOL-WHIPPED IN STING

Orange County deputies were involved in a violent attack Thursday
night when a drug sting at a south Orange shopping plaza turned violent.

Undercover narcotics agents with the Orange County Sheriff's Office
said they planned to meet suspected drug runners Israel Salgado and
Margaret R. Finnegan shortly before 11 p.m. at the shopping plaza at
12421 S. Orange Blossom Trail.

But when the undercover deputy approached Salgado, 23, the suspect
pulled out a Taurus .357-caliber Magnum revolver and demanded money
from the agent, the report shows.

"Salgado pistol-whipped the agent in the head and knocked him to the
ground," the report said. "The victim, who was in fear for his life,
gave the money to Salgado."

As other deputies rushed to assist the agent and arrest the armed man,
Finnegan, 20, jumped into a car and slammed into several cars as she
tried to escape, deputies said. She was quickly arrested.

The injured agent was treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center for
minor head injuries.

Both suspects were arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail.
Salgado faces charges of armed robbery, aggravated assault with a
firearm and aggravated battery with a firearm.

Finnegan was charged with aggravated battery on a law-enforcement
officer, resisting an officer without violence, armed robbery,
aggravated battery with a firearm and attempted aggravated assault
with a deadly weapon.