A dog walker who allegedly attacked an 82-year-old fellow Villager has entered a plea in a criminal case.
John Stephen Fraind, 72, of the Village of McClure has entered plea of not guilty to a charge of felony battery in Sumter County Court. He has retained local criminal defense attorney Jaimie Washo Spivey, who entered the plea on Fraind’s behalf.
The older man said he had been riding his bicycle at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 8 when he passed Fraind, who was walking his dogs, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department.
Fraind reportedly shouted at the bicyclist, ordering him to “get a horn,” the report said. Fraind began “cussing” at the bicyclist, who admitted he had “cussed back.”
The older resident was riding his bicycle when he passed Fraind’s home on Carla Court and noticed his dogs in the front yard. He said he tried to jot down Fraind’s address to file a police report. Fraind suddenly exited his home and approached the bicyclist. Fraind threatened to “rip him off the bike” and “beat” him. Fraind allegedly grabbed the back of the other man’s shirt and ordered him to never return.
The older man rode back to his home and called law enforcement.
Fraind told police that the 82-year-old “almost ran over his dogs” and then “made the mistake” of pedaling to his home. Fraind said the older man called him a profane name, which “upset” him. He admitted he had grabbed the man’s shirt. Fraind also told police he had been expecting them.
