A Fruitland Park man was arrested after allegedly backhanding his father while driving near the Village of DeLuna.
An officer responded to the entrance to the Village of DeLuna regarding a physical disturbance around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. Dispatch advised that 21-year-old Ryan William Gough had hit his father in the eye and broken his glasses.
Upon arrival, the officer met with Gough and his girlfriend. The former advised that he, his girlfriend and his father were traveling back to his father’s residence in Fruitland Park when an argument began over the vehicle he was driving. The truck had recently received new tires and was supposed to have been aligned, but Gough believed there were still front-end mechanical issues causing the vehicle to pull to the left and right, the report said.
Gough was trying to explain these issues to his father after passing a vehicle traveling below the speed limit. His father became upset and accused him of driving recklessly. The disagreement escalated into a verbal altercation, where his father “bowed up” at him as though to strike him, the report said.
Gough raised his hand in an attempt to block the anticipated strike, which hit his hand. When asked what happened next, he would not clarify. He stated he could not remember because he “blacked out,” the report said.
The officer next spoke with Gough’s father, whose injuries were consistent with blunt-force trauma. Blood covered his shirt, and a large laceration sat beneath his right eyebrow near his eye, the report said.
He stated the trio was traveling northbound on U.S. Hwy. 301 after leaving Coleman when he saw Gough swerving. He told Gough to “watch out,” to which he stated the truck was swerving due to mechanical issues. His father reiterated that it was Gough’s driving, and the intentionally swerved the vehicle, the report said.
The argument escalated to the point that Gough abruptly hit the brakes, pulled onto the shoulder of the road and “bowed up” at his father in an aggressive manner. His father “bowed up” in response, to which Gough began yelling at him. He then backhanded his father’s right eye, causing his glasses to break and inflicting the laceration. The father subsequently removed the keys from the vehicle to prevent Gough from driving away, the report said.
When speaking with Gough’s girlfriend, she initially stated she did not recall what happened. She ultimately corroborated that an argument broke out over the truck and continued after pulling over. She saw Gough’s father raise his arm, which caused her to flinch and momentarily shield herself behind Gough, the report said.
She looked back to see them both hitting each other. After the altercation, she and Gough got out of the truck and began walking toward Coleman, where his mother lived. The report noted her account did not match either Gough’s or his father’s statements. Neither mentioned her hiding.
Gough was subsequently arrested on charge of battery and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center without bond.