‘Animalistic’: 4 Florida teens arrested after ‘brutal beating’ puts man in ICU
By Dacia Johnson
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POLK COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Four teens are facing charges after a video shows them beating a 35-year-old man, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
It happened in Mulberry on May 5, PCSO said.
“The victim was hospitalized in an intensive care unit with serious injuries to his face, to include a broken nose, broken jaw, multiple lacerations, and swelling,” PCSO said in a news release.
The attack was first reported at around 11:40 pm Monday night by the victim’s wife, but the victim was initially uncooperative with the investigation, PCSO said.
“The video of the beating is hard to watch,” Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release. “The victim was knocked down with the first punch and rendered defenseless. The suspects continued to attack the man—they pummeled him repeatedly with a sickening rage.”
On May 8, the victim discussed details with the investigating deputy, PCSO said. The victim said he was talking to a male at a Mulberry car wash on Church Avenue and was then confronted by four juveniles and beaten.
He said when he woke up, he walked back home.
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The suspects were all arrested on May 8:
Eathan Ryne Simmons, 18, from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery with bodily harm, rioting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor
Westlee Austin Davis II, 18, from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery with bodily harm, rioting, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor
A 17-year-old from Mulberry: charged with attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery with bodily harm, and rioting. PCSO is requesting that he be charged as an adult.
Dalton Ivory Creach, 19, from Lakeland: charged with rioting and contributing to the delinquency of a minor
“While being interviewed by detectives, suspects said that they confronted the victim for bothering an autistic friend, and they were protective of him,” PCSO said.
The unknown autistic friend who was with another male were not participants in the attack, but detectives are still working to identify these two males.
In a news conference, Judd called the beating “animalistic.”
Judd asked the victim for permission to show the severity of his injuries and showed a photo during the news conference.
The victim was intoxicated, Judd said, and was trying to talk to a teen washing a car. The victim asked if the teen was associated with the gang MS-13.
Other teens showed up and began beating the man.
“They beat him without mercy,” Judd said. “They were stomping him … “
None of the teens had a criminal record prior to the beating, Judd said.
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