A Tavares man was arrested for allegedly punching a boyfriend and stealing his car because he did not like how he spoke to his girlfriend.
A deputy responded to a stolen vehicle at 12025 Lake Pines Rd. around 11:21 a.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arrival, the deputy met with the victim who stated that he was hanging out at a friend’s house the night before from about 9 to 11 p.m. The victim and his girlfriend were engaged in a verbal altercation when 36-year-old Bradley Scott Baird did not like how he was talking to her, the report said.
Baird walked up to the victim and punched him in the mouth. He also had a fixed blade knife with a black handle in the victim’s face when he was striking him. Once the victim got hit, he fell to the ground, and Baird started kicking him in the back, the report said.
The victim sustained a busted lip with dried blood on the left corner of his mouth as well as a very noticeable red scrape on his left inner elbow. There were no serious injuries or bruises to indicate he had been kicked several times, the report said.
The victim further explained that Baird grabbed him and forced him into the victim’s vehicle. Once he was placed inside, Baird got into the driver’s seat and drove away, threatening him to not call the police. Baird drove around for about 30 minutes before dropping him back off at the residence where this all happened. He then took off in the victim’s vehicle without permission to do so, the report said.
The vehicle was found by other deputies driving down County Road 44 near Treasure Island Road. They spotted only one person inside driving the vehicle. As the deputies made a U-turn to try and make contact, the vehicle drove away and pulled down Linda Drive where it was discovered behind a residence at 33514 Linda Dr., the report said.
Upon canvassing the area, Baird was found in a residence at 33530 Linda Dr. where he was taken into custody. A criminal history check revealed multiple battery and aggravated battery convictions within Lake County and others, the report said.
Baird was arrested on charges of grand theft auto, battery (second offense), false imprisonment (adult), aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resist arrest without violence. He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $31,000.
The Michigan native was also arrested in August for stealing the vehicle of a man that he drove to the hospital.