Mount Dora Pastor Arrested for Felony Battery at Tavares Park Confrontation

In a recent incident at Wooton Park in Tavares, Florida, a Mount Dora pastor was arrested on charges of felony battery following a confrontation captured on video. Richard Edward “Rick” Pughe, 60, the lead pastor of HopeCity Church, was involved in an altercation with a man over 65, as reported by the Tavares Police Department.

The incident occurred on a Tuesday afternoon when the police were called to the park at 1:39 p.m. after receiving a report of a battery at a gazebo. According to the arrest affidavit, the victim described how the argument began over parenting issues. He claimed that Pughe approached him in a manner that he found intimidating, eventually leading to Pughe striking him with his elbow, causing him to fall and hit a bench.

The victim’s sister, present during the confrontation, declined to provide a statement, suggesting that the victim had provoked the incident. Meanwhile, the victim’s niece recounted that the family was preparing to eat at the gazebo when her son ran to her, upset by the victim’s behavior. She stated that while she argued with the victim, no physical altercation occurred between them.

Police reviewed video footage from the City of Tavares, which showed Pughe entering the gazebo, engaging in conversation with the victim, and subsequently striking him with his elbow. This led to the victim’s fall. Pughe was identified through the vehicle he left at the scene and a driver’s license photograph.

When contacted by police, Pughe stated that he had intervened after witnessing what he believed to be a man attempting to chest bump a woman. He claimed that during the altercation, he felt an aggressive movement from behind and instinctively raised his elbow, resulting in the victim’s fall.

This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of accountability and the need for peace and justice within our communities. As Micah 6:8 reminds us, “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” we are called to uphold these values in all aspects of life, including our interactions with one another.

Source: Read the original report