A Village of St. Johns man has entered a plea to a felony charge after an alleged attack at a golf course.
John Francis Stinnett, 61, has entered a written plea of not guilty to a charge of battery on a person over the age of 65. The plea was entered this week by Stinnett’s attorney, J. Scott Herman, in Sumter County Court.
The Maryland native remains free on $2,000 bond.
Stinnett had been golfing Saturday morning at the Mangrove Executive Golf Course and was playing behind a 76-year-old man. That man told Sumter County sheriff’s deputies he had “grabbed two golf balls from the green and proceeded to the next green,” according to the arrest report. He said Stinnett, who stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 185 pounds, “approached him demanding the return of his golf balls.” He said Stinnett “pushed him in the chest with both hands causing him to stumble backwards.” Stinnett grabbed the man by his wrist and “pried the golf balls from his grasp.” Stinnett left in a golf cart.
Multiple witnesses told deputies they had seen Stinnett push the other man and take the golf balls from him.
