A 22-year-old Stone Creek resident is accused of brutally attacking a 67-year-old man at the 55-and-over community’s driving range.
Tyler Donald Dearden, of 7179 99th Circle, was charged with aggravated battery on a person 65 years of age or older after the incident, which happened around 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Stone Creek Golf Club, 9676 SW 62nd Loop.
Multiple callers reported the battery. The victim was taken to West Marion Community hospital before a Marion County sheriff’s deputy arrived, according to the sheriff’s office report.
Contacted at the hospital, the victim said he was on the driving range when a young man he knows by the name of Tyler was taking balls from the victim’s bucket. The victim told Dearden to get his own and stop taking them from him. He said Dearden started cursing and yelling at him, the report said.
The victim said he went to club’s pro shop and reported Dearden to an employee, and Dearden followed him into the shop. The victim said he went back to the driving range and Dearden came up to him and said he wanted to apologize. He said Dearden then started punching him and knocked him to the ground. The victim said he didn’t know how many times he was struck, but that he remembered Dearden kicking him in the head and chest while he was on the ground, according to the report.
The deputy observed multiple bruises and hematoma on the victim’s face. He had a laceration inside his left earlobe, and his left eye was bruised and swollen mostly shut. The deputy saw an emergency room nurse use nine stitches to close two lacerations over the victim’s left eye. The victim also had a laceration inside his right cheek, which had an open hole near the right side of his mouth. X-rays showed the victim also had a broken rib, the report said.
A golf pro who witnessed the attack said the victim entered the pro shop followed by Dearden. The pro said he was familiar with Dearden and was able to identify him. He said Dearden has been warned multiple times about his behavior at the range and that he told him he was not welcome back at the golf club, according to the report.
The golf pro said the victim left the pro shop and went back to the range. He said he saw Dearden walk up to the victim and punch him, knock him to the ground and start punching him repeatedly. The pro said while he was calling 911, he observed Dearden kicking the victim in the chest, the report said.
Two other witnesses said they witnessed Dearden arguing with the victim. They said the victim went to the pro shop with Dearden following him. The witnesses said the victim returned and Dearden came up to him saying he wanted to apologize to him. One of the witnesses said she saw Dearden start hitting the victim, while the other witness said he did not see the first punch. They both saw Dearden knock the victim down, get on top of him, and punch him repeatedly in his head and face. They said Dearden got up and started kicking the victim in his head and chest, according to the report.
Contacted at his residence, Dearden told the deputy he was defending himself. He said the victim threatened him by pointing a golf club at him. Dearden said the victim also got him kicked out of the golf club, even though he is a resident, the report said.
Dearden was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he’s being held on $10,000 bond. A court date has not been set.