Florida man gets 30 days in jail for gunshots in Charles City hotel

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Florida man has been sentenced to spend 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges for shooting a gun inside a Charles City Hotel last month.

Harry William Luciow, 52, of Southport, Florida, was originally charged with reckless use of a firearm, an aggravated misdemeanor, and criminal mischief in the 2nd degree, a Class D felony, after having been arrested at the Super 8 by Wyndham Hotel on South Grand Avenue.

Documents filed in Floyd County District Court say the Charles City Police Department was called to the hotel in the 1400 block of South Grand Avenue a few minutes after 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, for a report of gunshots inside the business.

“Officers arrived and evacuated rooms surrounding the one where the gunfire originated,” a police report said. “Officers were able to talk with the occupant via the telephone and able to get him to come out of the room.”

No one was injured, but police said the shots did penetrate the walls into other rooms.

Luciow pleaded guilty to the reckless use of a firearm charge, and to a reduced charge of criminal mischief in the third degree, also an aggravated misdemeanor.

He was sentenced this month in Floyd County District Court by Judge Peter Newell to up to two years in prison with credit for time served, fully suspended, and two to three years probation for the criminal mischief charge.

He was sentenced to 365 days in the county jail on the reckless use of a firearm charge, with all but 30 days of the sentence suspended, and placed on probation for two years.

The two sentences are to run consecutively.

Luciow was also sentenced to two fines of $855 each, plus 15% surcharge, fully suspended, and order to undertake a mental health evaluation and substance abuse evaluation and follow the recommendations of both, plus other costs and fees.

Luciow was also ordered to pay full restitution to the hotel, which was listed as $3,125 for a new TV, new bathtub, dry wall, door, labor and lost revenue.