An incident in a gas station parking lot Tuesday morning landed a Florida man and woman behind bars after attacking a patron who was at the gas pumps.
According to police, on Tuesday, at approximately 7:55 a.m., a male victim and female passenger were at the gas pumps at Chevron, located at 2100 First St. N in Winter Haven.
Another car was on the opposite side of the pumps belonging to 44-year-old Jose Padilla Torres of Winter Haven.
Police say Torres was inside the store while his female passenger, 44-year-old Aracelis Hernandez Santiago sat inside of the vehicle.
According to police, Torres came out of the store and began yelling across the parking lot at the male victim.
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The man walked across the aisle of pumps to see what Torres was yelling about when Torres reached into his vehicle and grabbed an aluminum bat and started striking our victim.
The victim was able to block the strike with his hand, causing a minor injury to his hand. He grabbed Torres and was able to take him to the ground in order to keep him from continuing the attack.
Police say that Santiago then exits the vehicle and grabs the bat and starts swinging the bat at the victim.
Meanwhile, the victim’s girlfriend ran to the confrontation and was able to stop Santiago from striking the man.
As the physical melee was winding down, Torres and Santiago got back in their vehicle while the victim’s girlfriend went to their vehicle.
Police say the man was still outside of Torres’ vehicle waiting for him to leave, as Torres begins to back up but then speeds forward striking the man and causing him to bounce onto the hood and hit the windshield.
The man rolls off of the car and is able to walk to the passenger side of his vehicle when Torres speeds around the pumps and attempts to strike the victim a second time.
Torres, once again circles the pump island and attempts to strike the victim a third time, police say.
As the victim was attempting to leave the parking lot, Torres strikes the right rear side of the victim’s vehicle as Torres drove through the parking lot a fourth time.
Both parties drove in separate directions from the lot, but ended up at the same intersection of Ave V NE and 2nd St NE where another verbal altercation ensued.
Officers were able to meet up with both parties and Torres and Santiago were taken into custody.
Both Torres and Santiago were booked into the Polk County Jail. Torres is charged with two counts of Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon (F2) and Criminal Mischief of more than $1000 (F3). Santiago is charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (F3).
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