Tampa ice cream truck driver beaten and tied up | Crime

Tampa, Florida - John Champion says his 37-year-old neighbor, Desmond Pringley, just purchased the white and orange ice cream truck he keeps parked in his front yard along North Highland Avenue in Tampa.

A sign posted inside the truck tells customers that they can purchase sno-cones, ice cold water, Gatorade and packages of Capri-Sun.

Detectives with the Tampa Police Department say Tuesday evening around 8 p.m. two suspects knocked on Pringley's door to talk to him about the ice cream truck. They eventually barged into Pringley's home with handguns.

Investigators say they beat Pringley up and then tied him up. Pringley's 9-year-old son was able to call a 9-1-1 operator and describe what the suspects looked like. As police arrived they found one of the suspects in the front yard and they arrested him. The other suspect took off running.

Champion says nothing like this has ever happened in the neighborhood. He says he heard yelling next door but says he thought his Pringley was watching sports again and cheering on his favorite team.

When he stepped out on his front porch to smoke a cigarette he says that's when he knew something was wrong because the police officer's had their guns drawn.

Champion says his neighbor has four children. No word on where all the children were when the alleged home invasion/robbery occured. Also no word on the extent of Pringley's injuries.