According to officials, a repeat offender attacked a senior citizen with a hammer during a dispute over dumped wood

SORRENTO, Fla. (TND) — The argument between two men, which led to violence, was over “a large pile of wood” that had been dumped on their shared property.

Sheriff’s deputies in Florida showed up Tuesday morning, April 30, to investigate “a physical altercation involving a weapon.”

According to the arrest report, the victim said Michael Aaron Bennett attacked him with a hammer at his home.

He said Bennett “lives in a mobile home on the property but did not have permission to enter the primary residence.”

“The victim also stated that the camper has all utilities, so the arrested person does not have to enter the apartment for anything.”

The arrest report said Bennett was “upset” about the dumped wood, that there was “a verbal altercation” and that the “victim went into the house to escape the arrestee.”

“At this point the arrested man entered the apartment and opened a closed door with a hammer in his hand.

“The victim stated that the arrested man yelled at him and then attacked him with the hammer.

“The victim reported that he grabbed the arrestee’s arm, which had the hammer attached, and the arrestee pushed him to the ground. The arrested man lay on top of him and held him.”

The victim then “yelled at his brother,” who also lives there, and woke him up so he could help him.

The brother “helped free the arrested man from him.

“The victim informed the arrestee that he left the residence and returned to his RV, at which point the victim contacted law enforcement.”

The officer saw a small cut on the victim’s forearm, but said the victim “wasn’t sure if it was from the hammer or a physical altercation.” He didn’t need paramedics.

Bennett was “temporarily detained” and according to the arrest report, “he was upset that the lumber had been dumped on the property and he went into the apartment, pushed the victim to the ground and held him to the ground until (the brother) did freed him from the sacrifice.

“The detainee stated that he was never hit during the altercation.

“The arrestee reported that he did not have the hammer with him during the physical altercation; However, he was in possession of the hammer after the altercation while he was near his RV for protection.

“The arrestee stated that at the time of the altercation he believed he was not welcome in the apartment and stated that he was living in the RV full-time.

“The arrestee said there was a hammer in the mobile home and that I was allowed to get it.”

The victim is 66 years old.

Bennett, 57, was charged with armed burglary and aggravated assault on a person 65 years of age or older.

He served a four-year sentence in state prison for dealing in stolen property and burglary in 1996, and then a one-year sentence for drunken driving (third conviction) and driving with a revoked license in 2012. These crimes occurred in Hillsborough County.

Bennett then served four and a half months for assault on a law enforcement officer in Lake County and was charged with two felony probation violations for assault in Citrus County.

This time, Bennett’s bail was set at $30,000 and he neither paid it nor was released.