A Mount Dora man was arrested at his home Monday for pushing a neighbor 65 years of age or older.
Shaughn Michael Faller, 41, was charged in the incident after a few days of investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, according to an arrest report.
On Friday morning, a deputy responded to an undisclosed residence in Mount Dora regarding a battery. The male victim advised a secondary call was placed due to details that were not reported in the first call made by neighbors. He told the deputy there was a battery that took place on him during the initial verbal altercation that had not been addressed, the report said.
The victim advised that he and his neighbor, Faller, had been involved in many verbal altercations in the past. This recent altercation began when Faller accused him of stealing his drone out of his driveway. The victim claimed he did no such thing, the report said.
The two met close to the property line and began yelling at each other. The victim stated at this time that Faller pushed him in his chest with both hands. He did not fall but had to take a couple steps back from the force, the report said.
The victim further stated that the neighbors across the street came to his defense verbally during the argument. One female witness, who lived in a house across the street from where the incident happened, had cameras outside her home that she hoped caught the physical moments. However, no footage captured either man pushing the other, the report said.
The witness still held that she saw the whole incident, and at no point did the victim push Faller. She did state that Faller pushed the victim, though. The physical part of the argument also took place on the victim’s property, the report said.
After finishing that interview, the deputy went to Faller’s home. Another female witness answered the door and advised that Faller left about a half hour before the arrival of law enforcement. She claimed he left because he was scared that he was going to go back to jail, the report said.
The witness also claimed she saw the incident, but her memory of events was different. According to her, the victim started the physical altercation by coming onto their property and challenging Faller. The victim pushed Faller, and he in turn pushed him back in self-defense. The witness admitted that Faller should not have pushed the victim as he is much older and smaller, but Faller just gets “wound up,” the report said.
All the parties involved stated that issues between the neighbors have been ongoing for months. Due to the inconsistencies in the statements of events, an arrest was not able to be made at the time, the report said.
The following Monday, another deputy responded to Faller’s residence in Mount Dora. He advised that the victim came onto his property. He was engaging in a verbal altercation with the victim, at which point the victim pushed him first. He stated that was when he pushed the victim in retaliation against his actions, the report said.
The deputy informed Faller that due to independent witness statements advising that he pushed the victim first, he was going to be placed under arrest for battery, the report said.
Faller was then taken into custody on charge of battery on person 65 years of age or older. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $2,000.