A Florida man, enraged by his 75-year-old neighbor’s “garbage placement” outside his apartment building, beat the man with a “electric bicycle tire and rim,” hitting him in the face, head, and body, police said.
According to local Fox affiliate WSVN, George Horton, 47, objected to the way his neighbor, Rodolfo Ortega, disposed of his trash at the Normandy Isle apartment building where they lived near the 1200 block of Normandy Drive. The alleged attack occurred on Monday, shortly before noon.
Ortega told WSVN and other local media outlets about the alleged e-bike attack, saying, “He tried to kill me,” referring to Horton.
“I tell the guy, ‘Don’t touch me,'” Ortega explained.
“He touched me, and I tried to defend [myself],” Ortega explained, adding that the alleged attack “broke” his head open.
Horton’s arrest report, obtained by local ABC affiliate WPLG, accuses him of attacking Ortega with a bike tire and rim after the victim brandished a screwdriver “to defend himself.” According to the report, the two of them had a verbal disagreement “regarding the placement of garbage” before things escalated.
Ortega told WSVN that he fell to the ground after the attack and sustained lacerations on his head, hands, and other parts of his body. Surveillance footage captured in the area nearby shows the alleged assault taking place.
“I don’t have anything with the guy, no problem,” Ortega said, noting that he greets Horton every day. “Every day I say hi.”
According to the arrest report, Horton was not located until Tuesday morning. Officers patrolling the area allegedly found him at the victim’s front door, “knocking and yelling incoherent statements,” according to WPLG. Horton allegedly had a “strong” odor of alcohol “emitting from his breath” when officers approached him.
Horton is being held on a felony charge of aggravated battery against a person aged 65 or older.
Police stated in the arrest report that the surveillance footage “clearly depicts the physical altercation as described” and “corroborates the victim’s account.”