An Ocala man tired of listening to a boy smack his lips in a vehicle is accused of abusing the youth after the two got into a physical altercation on Sunday.
Scott Robert Arrington, 37, was charged with domestic child abuse without causing great bodily harm and released from the Marion County Jail on his own recognizance. He’ll answer to the charge in Marion County Court on Feb. 12.
Arrington told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy he and the victim were in an argument about shopping when he told him that if he smacked his lips one more time, he was going to slap him. Arrington said the victim made another smacking noise with his mouth and that he reached into the back seat to hit him, but the victim blocked him with his arms. He said the victim then punched him in the chin.
Arrington said at that point he turned and punched the victim on the left side of his head near his eye. When the victim tried to punch him again, Arrington pulled over along Anthony Road, got out, and he and the victim exchanged several punches before Arrington walked away. The victim and a female passenger in the car described the incident the same way.
The deputy observed swelling on the left side of the victim’s face behind his eye and a small scratch on Arrington’s face. The victim was checked and cleared by medics and Arrington refused treatment.
Based on the severity of the injuries, the deputy determined Arrington was the primary aggressor and arrested him without incident.