A man was arrested at a Western Florida Walgreens on Easter Sunday after allegedly hitting a store manager with a Bible after being asked to leave the premises.
Late in the evening on March 31, a 35-year-old man went to a Walgreens Pharmacy in Clearwater intending to buy a pair of headphones. After choosing his desired item, the man encountered a store employee and reportedly had an unpleasant verbal encounter with her regarding the headphones.
The reason for the spat was not recorded in the police report, but the situation caught the store manager’s attention and she decided to tell the man to get out of the store. He was reportedly holding a Bible when she walked up to him, and after ordering him to depart from the premises, the man allegedly hit her in the face with the book of religious texts. Afterward, he complied with the manager’s demand and walked out the door.
The authorities were notified, and officers from the Tarpon Springs Police Department responded. When they apprehended the suspect, he allegedly told them he hit the manager because she was rude.
As stated in the affidavit, the police determined he “did actually and intentionally strike” the alleged victim, and the man was taken into custody. He was transported to the Pinellas County Jail where he was booked on preliminary charges of petit theft, and battery. The battery charge was bumped up to a felony because the suspect has a prior assault and battery conviction from 2020. After posting a $5,000 bond he was released from custody the following evening, and he is not allowed to go near the alleged victim or the store.
If you or someone you love is suspected of an assault or battery offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.