A Wildwood man is facing a felony charge after he allegedly struck another man in the head with a large tree branch, causing severe injuries that required the victim to be airlifted to an area trauma center.
Sumter County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a battery complaint at about 6 p.m. Tuesday, at a residence in Bushnell. Upon arrival, they found a male victim suffering from obvious head trauma. The victim was transported by helicopter to a local trauma center for emergency medical care.
During the investigation, a witness told detectives that a physical altercation had broken out in the front yard. The witness stated that during the fight, the suspect — identified in the report as 41-year-old Marvin “Juke” Rushing of Wildwood — hit the victim in the back of the head with a large tree branch.
The homeowner granted law enforcement permission to search the residence, noting that Rushing and another man were visiting and still inside the house. Uniformed deputies loudly announced their presence at the front door and ordered the men to come outside with their hands up.
While the second man complied and exited the home, Rushing refused to come out. Deputies issued multiple warnings that he would be arrested for obstruction if he did not surrender, but he continued to ignore the commands.
Deputies eventually used a key provided by the homeowner to enter the house. They systematically searched the residence until they reached a bedroom on the south end of the home. Inside, deputies noticed the bed frame had been pushed away from the wall. They found Rushing attempting to conceal himself underneath several pillows and took him into custody without further incident.
Rushing was arrested on a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, as well as a misdemeanor charge of resisting an officer without violence. Marvin Rushing remains in custody without bond at the Sumter County Detention Center.