A Wildwood man was arrested for assault after threatening to hit a store manager and a bystander at a travel center in Wildwood.
Dputies responded to the Pilot Travel Center, located at 744 SR 44, Wildwood, for a disturbance involving 65-year-old Timothy Allen Mahurin around 1:45 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arrival, a deputy tried to speak with Mahurin as he sat in his white Acura utility vehicle parked in front of the store. But he was uncooperaive and not clear on his account of the event. He claimed the store manager punched him in the face for no apparent reason. He sustained a reddened area on his nose and below his right eye but refused medical treatment, the report said.
The deputies moved on to the store manager who advised that Mahurin was yelling and causing a disturbance inside the store for no reason. She tried talking to him to calm him down, but he continued making a scene. She was still able to talk him out of the store where he continued yelling at her and a male bystander, the report said.
Mahurin was just a few feet away when he lunged at the store manager with both fists clinched and raised above his shoulders. She quickly backed up and turned away, fearing she was going to be struck by his fists. Instead, he and the bystander were fighting when she turned back around, the report said.
The bystander recalled following Mahurin and the store manager outside in case something happened. He saw Mahurin lunge at the store manager, and when she moved away, his attention turned to the bystander. He then approached with his fists balled up and swung at the bystander, the report said.
Mahurin missed, and they both traded a couple blows only to miss each other. The bystander ultimately punched at him in self-defense, this time making contact with his face. Mahurin fell backward in the parking lot, and law enforcement subsequently arrived at the scene, the report said.
A review of surveillance footage corroborated the store manager and the bystander’s statements. But while one deputy reviewed the video, two others were outside with Mahurin. He continued to be uncooperative and unpredictable, the report said.
Indeed, one of the deputies was speaking to him when he tried to slam his driver’s door shut. The deputy held it open with his hand, to which he stood up, got close, raised his voice and puffed his chest out to ask if he was detained. It took several orders for him to sit back down, the report said.
Mahurin then mentioned ramming his car into a patrol vehicle that was parked directly behind him. He proceeded to rummage through his center console and some shopping bags on the front passenger seat. The deputy told him to stop, and he yelled what sounded like “a gun” before clarifying “gum,” the report said.
The deputy offered him a piece of gum, and he replied, “I’ll give you a piece, you don’t want mine.” He next turned his body away and continued to rummage through the center console. Due to this, he was ordered out of the vehicle, the report said.
Prior to being arrested, Mahurin suddenly stepped toward his driver’s door and opened it, trying to get back inside. A deputy took control of his left wrist, and he tensed his arms and body while screaming. Another deputy grabbed his right arm, and they both brought him to the ground until he was in a prone position. He continued to tense his arms and scream as they detained him in handcuffs, the report said.
Mahurin was arrested on charges of two counts of simple assault (threaten to do violence) and resist (obstruct without violence). The Pennsylvania native was transported to the Sumter County Detention Center to be held without bond.