A Belleview man is accused of hitting and threatening a man spraying for weeds at his residence in the Golden Oaks Mobile Home Park.
James Arthur Gentile, 48, of 5086 SE 102nd Place Lot C-10, was charged with simple battery after the incident, which happened shortly after noon on May 11.
The victim told a Belleview Police officer he was spraying some weed treatment chemicals at the rear of Gentile’s residence when Gentile told him not to spray those chemicals into his grass. The victim said he told Gentile the spraying was already completed, according to the police report.
The victim said he got onto his tractor to leave the area when Gentile came up to him and struck him twice with his bare fists. The officer did not see any visible marks where the victim said he was struck, the report said.
The victim said Gentile then followed him while threatening to kill the victim’s wife and burn his house down. There were no witnesses who could corroborate that part of the victim’s statement, according to the report.
Gentile told the officer he told the victim to stop spraying his lawn and grabbed the nozzle on the sprayer and pushed it away. Gentile said the victim shoved him and he shoved the victim back. He said the victim then body slammed him to the ground. The officer asked to see visible marks on Gentile and there were none, the report said.
One witness said he saw the pair arguing and Gentile punch the victim twice in the head. Another witness said she heard the verbal altercation and saw Gentile punch the victim and the victim shove him back, according to the report.
Gentile’s mother told the officer she saw the victim slam Gentile to the ground. However, she was unable to get out of her chair and based on where she was sitting, it was unlikely she could see anything that happened outside on the opposite side of the residence, the report said.
Gentile was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released later in the day on $1,000 bond. No court information was available.