[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 06/09/20
CLERMONT, Florida — A man who admitted grabbing a 76-year-old female family member by the wrists and pushing her was charged with domestic battery on a person over 65 and assault Saturday night.
Francis S. Pightling, 34, of Clermont was arguing with the elderly family member about his kids when he threw an aluminum can at her, striking her in the shoulder, according to an arrest affidavit. He then allegedly grabbed her by the wrists and pushed her out of the way. It was reported he then took the woman’s car keys and started to leave until he overheard the victim on the phone with dispatch and threw the keys back into the house and left on foot. The victim did not have any physical marks or bruising and did not want to be seen for treatment, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit.
Clermont Police located Pightling in front of a local restaurant on U.S. Highway 27 and he admitted grabbing the elderly woman by her wrists and shoving her, but denied throwing the aluminum can and striking her, according to the affidavit.
He was taken to the Lake County Jail where he is being held on $3,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
