Polk Gas Station Patron Attacked With Bat, Run Over By Car, Say Police

WINTER HAVEN, FL — A Winter Haven couple have been arrested and charged with aggravated battery after being accused of attacking a gas station customer with a bat and striking him with their car Tuesday, according to Winter Haven police.

At 7:55 a.m., the victim and a woman passenger were at the gas pumps at Chevron, 2100 First St. N in Winter Haven. Another car belonging to 44-year-old Jose Padilla Torres of the 2200 block of 8th Street Northwest in Winter Haven was on the opposite side of the pumps, police said.

Torres went into the Chevron store while his passenger, 44 year-old Aracelis Hernandez Santiago, who lives at the same address, waited inside the car, police said.

When Torres came out of the store, police said he began yelling across the parking lot at the victim. The victim walked to the other side of the gas pump to find out what Torres was yelling about. Torres then reached into his car and grabbed an aluminum baseball bat and started striking the victim, according to police.

The victim was able to block the strike with his hand, causing a minor injury.

Police said he then grabbed Torres and forced him to the ground to prevent him from continuing to attack him.

At that point, police said, Santiago got out of the car, grabbed the abandoned bat and started swinging it at the victim. The victim's girlfriend ran up to stop Santiago from striking the victim.

As the altercation was winding down, police said Torres and Santiago got back in their car. The victim remained near the gas pumps, waiting for them to leave. Police said Torres began to back up but then sped forward, striking the victim who bounced off the hood of the car and struck the windshield.

The victim rolled off the hood and headed toward the passenger side of his vehicle. Police said that's when Torres sped around the pumps and attempted to strike the victim a second time, then circled around and tried to do it again a third time.

As the victim was attempting to leave the parking lot, police said Torres rammed the right rear side of the victim's vehicle.

Both Torres and the victim drove off in separate directions but ended up at the same intersection of Avenue V Northeast and 2nd Street Northeast where they began shouting at one another, said police.

Officers arrived and placed Torres and Santiago under arrest.

Torres is charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief involving more than $1,000.

Santiago was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.