A Brooksville man turned himself in Thursday after admitting to denting another driver’s vehicle with a hammer.
Early Tuesday morning, a deputy responded to a hit-and-run involving 58-year-old Steven Michael Lawn at Main Street and U.S. Hwy. 301 in Bushnell, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
The male victim advised that he had been traveling westbound on County Road 48 when a white Chevrolet 3500 supercab pickup truck pulling a trailer started following closely behind him. As he crossed the intersection with County Road 747, he stopped his vehicle in the road due to being blinded by high-beams from the truck. The pickup truck also stopped, only for Lawn to get out and come up to the victim for a verbal exchange, the report said.
Lawn then got back into his truck, drove alongside the victim’s vehicle, got out again and approached with a hammer. He proceeded to strike the left front corner of the hood of the vehicle with the hammer, leaving a large dent. He also kicked the right front headlight and damaged the bumper underneath it, the report said.
Once finished, Lawn quickly returned to his pickup and fled westbound on County Road 48 toward State Road 301. The victim followed him while on the phone with dispatchers and was able to get the license plate number of the trailer being towed. He ultimately stopped at the intersection as the truck continued south on State Road 301, the report said.
The deputy later checked the tag given by the victim, which returned to Associated Construction Inc. He contacted an executive of the construction company who agreed to be in touch once they figured out the perpetrator. Shortly after, Lawn called to tell the deputy about what happened, the report said.
He stated he was driving behind the victim on County Road 48 when the victim stopped in front of him on the roadway. He admitted there was a verbal altercation, and he agreed to turn himself in to authorities, the report said.
The Georgia native ultimately turned himself in to the Sumter County Detention Center where he was charged with criminal mischief (over $1000). He was released after posting $2,500 bond.