A Summerfield man found himself behind bars Sunday after a nasty battle over a Facebook post came to a head in the fruit and vegetable section of the Summerfield Wal-Mart.
The victim told sheriff’s deputies that he was shopping in the store, located at 17961 S. Hwy. 27/441, with his family when he spotted 33-year-old Brett Maurice Pitchford in the produce section. He said he didn’t recognize Pitchford until he started speaking to him. He said Pitchford told him, “You know I am still going to (expletive deleted) you up,” a sheriff’s office report states.
The victim said he told Pitchford to “do what you have to do” and then started to walk past him. He claimed Pitchford them struck him in the back of his head and knocked him to the ground, the report says.
A Wal-Mart employee working in the produce area told deputies that he heard Pitchford say something about placing photos of his residence on Facebook. He said he heard the victim say, “(Expletive deleted) take your best shot.” He said he then saw Pitchford strike the victim in his head, so he grabbed him and pulled him away from the area, the report says.
The victim’s wife said she didn’t recognize Pitchford until after she had passed him in the produce section. She said she heard a verbal altercation and turned around in time to see Pitchford strike her husband in the back of his head, the report says, adding that the victim suffered injuries to his left elbow, swelling on the rear of his head and bruising to his left ear.
Deputies then spoke with a Wal-Mart loss prevention officer who showed them a surveillance video of the incident. Deputies noted that the video appeared to corroborate the victim’s account of what happened and statements from witnesses, the report says.
Pitchford, who lives 14865 S.E. 47th Court in Summerfield, has multiple convictions for battery, with the most recent being in Lake County Court in April 2007. He had already left the store when deputies arrived and was arrested Sunday night, the report says.
Pitchford was charged with battery (second or subsequent offense) and released early Monday morning on $2,000 bond. His next court date hasn’t yet been set, jail records show.
