OKEECHOBEE — A 23-year-old man was charged with battering a 79-year-old last week after an altercation with his mother’s neighbor. On Thursday, June 11 at approximately 6:30 p.m., Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Tullio was dispatched in reference to an assault and battery complaint. The report notes, when Deputy Tullio arrived, he made contact with complainant, Kimberly James, who he said was squeezing and scraping her own neck when he got there.
A debate over whether a car should be parked on the grass led to the scuffle which each side blames the other for starting. Neal James, 23, Southeast Eighth Street was charged with battery on a person 65 years of age or older. His bond was set at $1,500.
Kimberly James accused the older man of choking her, and said her son shoved him to get him off her, but the 79-year-old man was not charged.