Man allegedly pushes down 69-year-old co-worker during remodeling job

A Leesburg man was arrested for battering a 69-year-old co-worker after allegedly pushing him to ground during a work dispute at a mobile home park.

A deputy responded to the altercation involving 53-year-old Sean Thomas Burke at an undisclosed Leesburg residence around 10:10 a.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. 

Upon arrival, the deputy spoke with the male victim who was sitting in his golf cart in his driveway. Lake County EMS was on scene and treating him for his injuries. He told EMS that his hips were hurting, and he could not straighten his leg, the report said. 

The victim explained that he was in an altercation with Burke, who he had known for some time. He was doing a remodeling job at one of the other units in the park with Burke when he went to go see Burke at Unit 16. This led to a verbal altercation about the completion of the job, the report said. 

When the argument got heated, the victim left the area and went to the front office to talk with the manager. He was speaking with the park manager when Burke walked up to him, but the victim did not wish to have contact, so he turned away. As he turned, he was pushed hard, causing him to fall to the ground, the report said. 

The victim was in lots of pain and was unable to move after he fell. Lake County EMS eventually transported him elsewhere. While being put in the back of the ambulance, the victim gave his birthdate which made him 69 years old. He appeared to suffer from the effects of age and had multiple health issues, the report said. 

The deputy then met with Burke. He advised that he and the victim had an altercation and were not on good terms with the renovating job they were on together. The victim left the altercation, and he went to talk to him about it again at the front office, the report said. 

Burke stated he did not intentionally touch the victim, but when he went up to him, he pushed him with his stomach causing the victim to fall to the ground. After the contact, he separated from the victim to later return for law enforcement, the report said. 

The deputy proceeded to interview a witness to the events. He stated that he was talking with the victim when Burke walked past him and rammed his body into the victim, the report said. 

The park manager also witnessed the incident. He stated that Burke walked up to the victim in an aggressive manner carrying a tool in his hands and made contact with the victim with his stomach. This made the victim fall to the ground, separating the two. He helped the victim get up and assisted with getting him to the golf cart, the report said. 

A friend of the victim’s was also spoken to. He advised that he saw the whole incident but from the other side of the street. He watched Burke walk over to the victim carrying a nail gun in his right hand. Once he walked up to the victim, Burke grabbed and forcefully shoved the victim with his left arm, causing him to fall. He described the contact as very violent, the report said. 

Burke was subsequently arrested and charged with battery on a person 65 years of age or older. He was transported to the Lake County jail to be held without bond.