A Leesburg man was arrested for battery after hitting a shopper in the head with a metal pipe when confronted for attempted theft.
An officer responded to an undisclosed Leesburg residence regarding a caller stating that he had been struck in the head with a pipe by a man later identified as 35-year-old Deshawn Payton around 4:32 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. The officer arrived on scene to see the victim bleeding from his left eye. EMS was immediately summoned.
The victim went on to explain that he went to the undisclosed business to use the bathroom. When he left, he saw Payton, otherwise known by his nickname “Boosie,” wearing no shirt and black pants. He was trying to steal items belonging to the victim which he had left in front of the business while he used the bathroom, the report said.
When confronted, Payton cursed at the victim and threatened to hurt him with a brick. Payton then walked away from the business while the victim sat down in front of it. However, Payton walked around the business, came back and struck the victim in the face with a metal pipe, the report said.
Due to injuries sustained by the victim, he was transported to UF Health, located at 600 E. Dixie Avenue, by EMS. The officer was later informed that the victim had a potential fracture of the left eye socket, the report said.
Officers subsequently reviewed the business’s video surveillance which showed the victim sitting in front of the business. Payton was seen walking up to the victim with a metal pipe in his right hand. He then swung the metal pipe, intentionally striking the victim on the left side of the face and causing him to fall to the ground. The victim got up and walked inside the business to contact law enforcement, the report said.
Officers were informed that after striking the victim, Payton walked about five houses from the business and hid inside that residence. They contacted an unidentified woman at the residence, and she advised them that “Boosie” was indeed inside. She gave consent for the officers to enter the house and put Payton in custody, the report said.
As officers attempted to do so, Payton ran out of the back door. Officers pursued him on foot and gave multiple commands to stop, but he continued running. He continued into bushes behind the residence toward Beecher Street where officers lost sight of him due to heavy vegetation, the report said.
Payton was seen running from the residence in the same clothing as described by the victim and seen in surveillance footage. About 15 to 20 minutes later, he was found on Beecher Street and placed into custody, the report said.
Officers then transported Payton to LPD for booking paperwork. While there, he laid himself on the ground and refused to stand up or answer questions. EMS was summoned to evaluate him for any medical conditions, but he also refused to answer their questions. He was taken to UF Health as a precaution to be medically cleared, the report said.
Payton was ultimately charged with aggravated battery (cause bodily harm) and resisting (obstructing without violence). He was taken to the Lake County Jail with bond set at $1,000.
He was also arrested in May 2021 on drug charges during a traffic stop with another woman.
