A 65-year-old man was arrested Monday after he beat a woman over a handicapped spot in a church parking lot, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident happened at St. JV Catholic Church on South Orange Blossom Trail in September 2024.
The victim, JD, went to pick up her 5-year-old niece with her mother at the church and parked in a handicapped spot near the entrance, the arrest affidavit stated.
While D was putting her niece in her car seat, a man in a black truck parked in front of their spot, blocking the women from leaving or being able to pull out of the parking spot, investigators said.
The man, JP, waved his handicap sticker from inside his truck. D showed him their placard in response, then P got out of his truck and started walking towards them, D said in a statement.
P began yelling at D when she got out of her car, saying the handicap placard did not belong to them and that he saw her get out of the car next to them, the victim told deputies.
D said she tried to explain to P that they were not associated with the car next to them and were trying to leave when they got into an argument, according to the incident report.
P told D and her mother that he would not let them leave and was calling security. He then pushed the car door, striking D, the affidavit stated.
The victim said she wanted to get P away from her and her family, so she shoved him. He then punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. When D got up, P overpowered her, grabbing her by the collar and shoving her to the ground, the affidavit said.
D’s mother, MD, gave a statement that matched Jenna’s, adding that the yelling and screaming scared her granddaughter in the car, who began to cry.
M told deputies she screamed for help until staff and other parents arrived, where they were able to get her and her granddaughter into the church. M was disabled from multiple past surgeries and had trouble walking, which was why she parked in the handicapped spot, according to the affidavit.
J had bruises on her face and arms from P punching and grabbing her and went to the hospital after, she said in her statement.
Surveillance footage confirmed the mother and daughter’s statements and showed MD getting out of her car during the incident and stepping in between the fight. Deputies said P can be seen grabbing Marti’s arms in the video.
Footage showed P driving away in his truck as staff and others came over to the women.
P was arrested and booked into the Orange County Jail Feb. 10 on charges of aggravated battery with great bodily harm, abuse of elderly or disabled adult, and false imprisonment.
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source: clickorlando
