ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Taylor Swift's father recently fought a burglar who broke into his $4 million Florida penthouse.
The Tampa Bay Times was first to report that Scott Swift returned to his home in the Vinoy Place Towers on Jan. 17 just moments after 30-year-old Terrence Hoover used an emergency stairwell to climb 13 floors to enter it.
According to court documents, the men fought before Hoover ran.
Records from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office show Hoover has a lengthy arrest record that includes burglary, aggravated assault, and kidnapping. Swift picked Hoover out of a photo lineup, and police say Hoover called them to report the altercation.
Swift picked Hoover out of a photo lineup, and police say Hoover called them to report the altercation. Hoover could not be found, however, until last week, when he was arrested on burglary charges. He is currently in jail on a $50,000 bond.
Taylor Swift was not with her father, and it is unclear whether the intruder targeted the home. The 30-year-old singer lives elsewhere.
Hoover's mother told ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska that her son's arrest is a big misunderstanding.
"He was going to take pictures on the top floor, of St. Petersburg, he's never been there before," Donna DeNapoli said. "The door was wide open, not cracked, wide open. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn't mean any harm, and he didn't have any intentions of stealing or hurting anybody. Taylor Swift's dad started punching him, and he was blocking his punches all the way down, all the way down the elevator. He actually called the police himself and told them about the encounter. He should not be charged with burglary if anything he should be charged with trespassing."
Hoover has a bond hearing on Tuesday.
