Who knew our beloved Christmas tree could be used as a weapon or object of assault? Well, a Florida man threw this important holiday decor piece at his wife during a heated argument that has now landed him in police custody.
Keep reading for the details.
This man allegedly swung the tree at his wife while they engaged in heated back and forth after he refused to help her make dinner. The husband, Richard Atchison, 52, reportedly lost his temper in their home as the wife mistakenly splashed water on his body as she put a spoon in the skin.
After the argument, Atchison, who had been drinking, packed his loads to the trunk of his car parked outside the house and then returned to the house, telling his wife to leave their Fruitland Park home on Monday, December 12.
The wife obeyed his order, and as she proceeded to exit the premises, Atchison shoved her to the side, picked the family's Christmas tree sitting in the corner of the room, and launched it towards her, hitting her in the process. He then blocked the front door to prevent his wife from leaving.
The 52-year-old man was taken by authorities to the Lake County jail and booked on domestic battery charges without incident, with bail charges set at $8000. According to the affidavit, he yelled at the woman when authorities arrived at the scene.
Atchison told his own account to the police and claimed he and his wife were arguing when she shoved a utensil into his hot food that splattered him on the face. He further claimed the fight was purely verbal, and no physical contact was made that evening.
While his wife was not physically injured and no emergency responders showed up at their home, the event shook her because a family friend came to visit when Atchison had his episode.
The man is definitely experienced when it comes to being locked behind bars, as he has been in and out of jail 23 times since 1997 with five domestic violence violations. It's unfortunate and scary that he's not shown signs of growth or improvement after all this time.
The couple's residence is described as a quiet and peaceful community located in the northeastern part of Orlando and nicknamed 'The Friendly City.' It's designed with grand oak trees and combines the beauty of old and new Florida.
Family and domestic violence is a common crime in the United States, and Florida has mandated every health worker to obtain two hours of domestic violence education every third renewal period.
