POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A courtesy beer run in Polk County turned into what Sheriff Grady Judd described as a scrum, landing one man behind bars after he allegedly attacked the very neighbor he’d asked to restock his supply.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 45-year-old Charles Johnson found himself out of beer at his Eagle Lake home, located just south of Winter Haven. Johnson reportedly asked a neighbor to bring him some more, and the neighbor obliged.
However, the mood quickly shifted after the delivery was made. Investigators say an argument broke out between the two men, escalating until Johnson allegedly grabbed one of the beer bottles by the neck and chased the victim into the yard.
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Fearing for his safety, the neighbor retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and warned Johnson to back off. Deputies say Johnson initially retreated, prompting the neighbor to put the weapon away. But the peace was short-lived.
When Johnson reportedly advanced on the neighbor a second time, the neighbor defended himself—not with the gun, but with a punch to the face.
“The victim knocked him down, hit him in the face with his fist, and gave him a good old fist full of noogies,” Sheriff Judd said during his morning briefing.
The impact was apparently enough to confuse the suspect. Johnson, who authorities described as highly intoxicated, dialed 911 claiming he had been pistol-whipped.
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“He got hit so hard he thought it was a gun, but it was the guy’s fist,” Judd noted.
Deputies arrived at the scene and unraveled the events, ultimately arresting Johnson. He has been charged with aggravated assault for allegedly charging at the victim with the beer bottle.
“Figure that out, will you?” Judd said of the incident. “He’s in jail, no beer, didn’t get smacked with a gun, had a bad night.”
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