A Florida man has been arrested and accused of assaulting an older woman over a church parking spot, according to authorities.
John Phillips, 65, was arrested last week for allegedly assaulting a woman during an incident that occurred in September at the parking lot of St. John Vianney Catholic Church of Orlando.
Phillips was booked last week in Orange County and faces charges including that of “aggravated battery (great bodily harm)” and abuse of an elderly or disabled adult.
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According to an affidavit filed in Orange County Circuit Court last month, the charges stemmed from a Sept. 25 incident when Marti Delzingaro and her daughter Jenna Delzingaro traveled to St. John Vianney to pick up her granddaughter from daycare.
Due to Marti Delzingaro’s mobility issues, the two women parked the car in a handicapped spot at the church lot. Reportedly, as Jenna Delzingaro was putting her niece in a car seat, Phillips arrived in a black truck and blocked them into the space.
According to the affidavit, Phillips complained to them about taking the handicapped parking space, and the argument between him and the adult daughter became tense.
Phillips then allegedly physically attacked Jenna Delzingaro, punching her. When the grandmother tried to intervene, the man reportedly violently grabbed her. He left when church staff and other parents arrived in response to her screaming.
After the altercation, the Delzingaros went to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries, with Marti Delzingaro providing authorities with the license plate number of the black truck.
Authorities tracked down Phillips via the license plate number and security camera footage from the church, which captured the incident from start to finish.
“The video clearly shows John Phillips walk up and push the car door into Jenna Delzingaro. The video shows him strike her down again after she pushes him back and then shove her to the ground … after she got up,” stated the affidavit.
“The video shows John Phillips grab Mrs. Marti [Delzingaro’s] arms and push her while she was trying to separate him from [her] daughter. … Jenna Delzingaro stated she was in fear for her niece and mother who were inside the car, and her only actions were to keep John Phillips away from her and the car.”
