Race car driver Davey Hamilton Jr. held ex-girlfriend at knifepoint, police say

Police: 21-year-old posed as vodka company owner to lure woman to South Florida

Davey Hamilton Jr., 21, was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A race car driver was arrested in South Florida after he manipulated his way into his ex-girlfriend's hotel room and held her a knifepoint, police said.

Davey Hamilton Jr., 21, of Jamestown, Indiana, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.

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According to a probable cause affidavit, Hamilton lured ex-girlfriend Angelica Hickey to a downtown West Palm Beach hotel Saturday by posing as the owner of a vodka company for which she believed she was going to be a brand ambassador.

After communicating via text messages with whom she believed to be the owner of Monkey in Paradise, Hickey flew to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and was chauffeured to the Hyatt Place in West Palm Beach with the promise of being paid $5,000 for her appearance.

When Hickey got to the hotel, she was told that her room key was under the door and that she should "get ready." But while she was in the shower, Hamilton entered the room, opened the shower curtain and was holding a 10-inch foldable knife in his hand, police said.

"Angela Hickey walked out of the shower and sat naked on the bed," the affidavit said. "Davey Hamilton, while holding the knife in his right hand and pointing it at Angelica, stood in-between the room door and Angelica Hickey, blocking her from leaving the room."

Police said Hamilton told her, "It didn't have to be this way."

Hamilton grabbed a roll of duct tape and started questioning her about the end of their relationship and his suspicion that she may have been cheating on him, the whole time pointing the knife at her and yelling, police said.

Eventually, Hamilton told Hickey to get dressed and she was able to run out of the room, yelling for help, police said.

Hamilton then ran out of the hotel room through an emergency exit, police said.

A short time later, Hamilton was taken into custody near Palm Beach Atlantic University. During questioning, Hamilton said he never intended to hurt Hickey and was only trying to scare her, police said.

According to the affidavit, Hamilton told police he bought the knife and duct tape at a Walmart in West Palm Beach. Hamilton also admitted to using different phone numbers to communicate with Hickey, pretending to be the owner of the vodka company, police said.

"In addition, Hamilton purchased bondage restraints and these were brought to the room but never used," the affidavit said.

Hamilton, who is the son of former Indy 500 competitor Davey Hamilton, has competed in the Indy Lights and Speed Energy Formula Off-Road series. He was being held at the main Palm Beach County jail Wednesday morning on a $30,000 bond.