A Leesburg felon with a firearm was arrested after an altercation with a 65-year-old man.
Darco Pierre Kellum, 35, was detained by Leesburg police officers outside of S&R Auto Repair at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday in response to a call made by the victim, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The victim claimed that he was visiting a friend, the owner of S&R, when he became aware that Kellum was recently hired there and began working that day. The victim told the owner that he disagreed with the hiring decision.
The victim claimed that Kellum then approached him, yelling at him to “keep [Kellum’s name] out of his mouth,” the report said.
The report stated that Kellum allegedly continued to approach the victim while he backed away, and Kellum kept his hand inside a black fanny pack attached to his chest. The victim claimed to have known that a semi-automatic firearm was inside the fanny pack because he had seen it last Sunday.
The victim claimed that he continued to back away from Kellum, but he got so close that Kellum was able to strike the victim in the face, “grazing” his lip, the report said.
While Kellum admitted to the argument during an interview with police, he denied striking the alleged victim or having the fanny pack with him at the time. Kellum also claimed that he and the victim had known each other for two weeks prior to the incident and had been friendly to each other, the report said.
The report also stated that several people at the scene denied witnessing or hearing the confrontation. They declined to give a statement.
Police found and searched the fanny pack while Kellum was detained, the report said. They discovered a black Taurus handgun and a magazine that belonged to the firearm.
A background check revealed several felony convictions, including aiding and abetting bank robbery in October 2010.
Kellum acknowledged that he knew he was a convicted felon and was prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm or ammunition, the report said.
A clear plastic bag was also discovered in the fanny pack. The police field tested the 0.5 grams of white powder, which tested positive for cocaine. When asked the last time he had used the substance, Kellum said he never had but was “thinking about it,” said the report.
Kellum was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail after completing the booking process. The firearm, magazine, ammunition and cocaine were submitted to the Leesburg Police Department evidence section.
The Georgia native was charged with aggravated assault on a victim aged 65 years, simple battery on a victim aged 65 years, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $19,000.
