A Leesburg man was arrested last week for assaulting an ex-coworker inside Walmart and damaging his vehicle because of a suspected relationship with his girlfriend.
On the evening of May 15, the male victim was shopping at Walmart, located at 2501 Citrus Boulevard in Leesburg, according to an affidavit of probable cause out of Lake County. He reported to the Leesburg Police Department that he was confronted by an ex-coworker, later identified as 37-year-old Jaredd Isaac Pitts.
Pitts suspected there was a relationship between his girlfriend and the victim, and he was angry about it. The victim was confronted by him in the store, so he retreated to the parking lot. While there, he began to contact law enforcement, the affidavit said.
Pitts walked over to the victim’s vehicle and began causing damage to it. He kicked it multiple times before leaving. The victim stood by and waited for the officers to arrive, the affidavit said.
The victim filed a report and annotated his intent to prosecute. He provided Pitts’ name but was unable to provide other identifying information and was uncertain of the spelling. The officers could not identify Pitts, either, the affidavit said.
The officers instead documented the damage to the vehicle. There was damage to both driver’s side doors, fenders and both side mirrors. The damage was estimated at about $3,000. The exact amount was still unsure at the time of the affidavit, but it was clearly more than $1,000.
During the course of an LPD detective’s investigation, the victim provided a phone number for Pitts used to identify him. The victim also gave the detective a photo of Pitts which matched his license photo. He was a registered owner of a gray 2017 Nissan Rogue, the affidavit said.
On July 19, the detective retrieved video surveillance from Walmart regarding the incident. It showed the entire incident starting with the victim arriving and parking his vehicle in the second spot from the front on aisle 14. He then got out of his vehicle, a white 2018 Jeep Cherokee, and walked into the store, the affidavit said.
As he approached the business, a gray Nissan utility vehicle quickly parked in front of the victim’s Jeep facing northbound and one spot closer to the front of the store. The occupant, Pitts, jumped out and sprinted into Walmart. He walked through the store, found the victim and confronted him, the affidavit said.
The victim retreated to the parking lot and ran east toward Citrus Boulevard. Pitts approached him in an aggressive manner, taking a fighting stance in the store. He actively chased the victim out of the business. He gave up on the pursuit in the parking lot and retreated to the victim’s vehicle where he kicked it along with its side mirrors, the affidavit said.
Another surveillance perspective showed the victim and Pitts entering the first vestibule, providing a clear visual of Pitts’ face for corroborating his identity. The last perspective documented Pitts returning to his vehicle and driving out of the parking lot. His license plate was clearly displayed and found to be registered to him, the affidavit said.
Above and beyond that, the victim recognized Pitts from the extended time they worked together at Popeye’s in Leesburg, the affidavit said.
The detective subsequently contacted the victim who verified that Pitts made verbal threats of violence and postured to attack him during the altercation. When he walked away and tried to disengage, Pitts chased him. Pitts was also observed trying to punch him but missed, the affidavit said.
Pitts was ultimately arrested on Friday, Aug. 16, on a warrant for simple assault and criminal mischief (greater than $1,000). The New Jersey native was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $3,500 bond.