SCSO: Man Choked, Beat Victim in Front of Law Officer

A man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly beat another man with a broomstick and choked him in front of a deputy, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Arthur Lyman Mayhew, 54, who is listed as a transient, was charged with aggravated battery with a weapon after a verbal altercation at a homeless camp turned physical Saturday evening.

A drunken Mayhew reportedly told the SCSO deputy, who had arrived at 8:30 p.m. in reference to the argument, that the other man was “crazy,” and he needed to be arrested.

Mayhew then decided to take matters into his own hands and shouted, “If you’re not going to take care of it then I will!” at the officer, chasing the victim into the woods as he yelled, the report states.

When the two men emerged from the woods, the victim had blood on his forearm (which was later discovered to be self inflicted) and Mayhew was chasing him with a broken broomstick, according to the report.

Despite the officer’s warning to drop his weapon, Mayhew grabbed the victim by the neck and fell to the ground on top of him. He then hit the man in the back of the head three times with the stick, the report said.

The deputy reportedly “tased” Mayhew in the back and he rolled off the victim. Both men were taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Mayhew was transported the Sarasota North Jail after he was cleared of injury. He is being held without bond.