She asked her neighbor to wear a mask in the elevator. Then came the attack, police say
An altercation over a face mask ended with an arrest in in Florida this week.
According to a police report from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, Suzanne Miller was arrested on a battery charge after confronting a Jensen Beach neighbor over not wearing a mask.
The complaint says that the residents of the Oceana Oceanfront building were about to board an elevator from the lobby together. When the victim got onto the lift without a mask on Monday afternoon, he told deputies that Miller said she wasn’t “comfortable” with that decision due to coronavirus.
The victim admitted he ignored Miller, says the report, and pressed the button to get to his apartment. That’s when the suspect began to yell, “He’s assaulting me,” said the arrest affidavit. The 71-year-old woman then attempted to physically eject her neighbor from the elevator and “intentionally” strike him on the shoulder, arm and chest with a closed fist.
A witness as well as surveillance video corroborated the victim’s story of the violent encounter. Deputies did not release the victim’s name.
The Florida woman was charged with battery and released from the county jail on $1,000 bond a few hours after her arrest.
A court date is set for Oct. 21.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 12:37 PM.
