A Lake County man armed with a frying plan landed in jail after a family fracas.
A deputy responded to a physical altercation between 67-year-old Richard Kyle Dinkins and his brother-in-law at their Lake County residence around 3:35 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Upon arrival, the deputy saw blood on the floor near the doorway between the kitchen and the outside door.
The brother-in-law explained he was the homeowner’s husband. His wife inherited the residence from her deceased father, and Dinkins had been given a place to stay there for life. It was between these two that an altercation broke out, the report said.
He advised that he was in the kitchen washing his hands when Dinkins walked in. He asked Dinkins to put garbage bags in the trashcan rather than leave them scattered around the property. This angered Dinkins, who yelled in response, the report said.
The two began pushing each other back and forth until Dinkins turned and tried to swing at his brother-in-law. Dinkins then grabbed a frying pan, swung it at him and missed. As a result, he twisted around and fell backward out the door onto the ground outside. The brother-in-law stated he did not cause Dinkins to fall and walked away after the incident, allowing his wife to handle the situation, the report said.
The deputy later observed the frying pan on a table near the kitchen. Meanwhile, EMS prepared to transport Dinkins to South Lake Hospital for treatment. He spoke with law enforcement before leaving to give his account of the incident, the report said.
Per Dinkins, he came into the kitchen, where his brother-in-law confronted him about the garbage bags. He was told to pick them up, but responded that he had already done so. He claimed his brother-in-law swung at him first, and he swung back in retaliation, the report said.
Dinkins denied throwing the frying pan at any point. When asked about the head injury, he stated it happened when he fell. He initially wanted to prosecute, then changed his mind to say he wanted the family to handle the matter internally, the report said.
Once cleared from the hospital, Dinkins was arrested on charge of simple battery (domestic). The Tennessee native was booked at the Lake County Jail with bond set at $1,000.