A fight outside a local home Monday afternoon led to the arrest of a man whose girlfriend was attempting to retrieve $20 from her ex-boyfriend, according to a Charlotte County Sheriff’s report.
Diamond Jack Baber, 18, of the 21100 block of Coachman Avenue, Port Charlotte, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following an incident in which authorities say he threatened another man with a box-cutter.
According to the report, Baber drove his girlfriend to a home on the 21300 block of Austin Avenue in Port Charlotte to retrieve the money from her ex. He was outside the home with a friend when the girl and her new boyfriend, Baber, arrived in a gray 2005 Dodge pickup.
The girl exited the vehicle and was talking to her ex about the money when Baber, the driver, began to “talk (garbage),” causing him and the ex to “become verbal with one another,” the report states.
Baber then allegedly exited the vehicle, saying, “You want to fight, you want to fight,” while pulling out a box-cutter and saying, “I’m going to cut,” the victim told deputies.
According to the report, the ex approached Baber, knocked the box-cutter out of his hand and punched him in the face. The two struggled before Baber and his girlfriend — who had obtained the $20 — got back in the pickup and left, the report states.
About five minutes after the incident, the same pickup returned to the scene with “four big guys and (Baber) getting out of it,” according to the report, and the ex and his friend ran into the house. Allegedly, one or more of the people from the truck was heard saying, “We want to do it now. We don’t fight, we kill,” as they ran after the ex and his friend.
Everyone left when the homeowner yelled at them, the report states.
A deputy was able to locate the vehicle parked at what later would be determined to be Baber’s residence. After speaking with Baber, a deputy determined he had inconsistencies in talking about the incident, the report states, and a box-cutter could be seen inside the vehicle.
Baber was taken to the Charlotte County Jail, where he was released Tuesday after posting $2,500 bond. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Baber’s father, Scott Edward Baber, 48, of the 2600 block of Starlite Lane, Port Charlotte, also was arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence in relation to Monday’s incident. He allegedly was witnessed removing the box-cutter from the truck.
Scott was booked early Tuesday at the Charlotte County Jail, where he was held on $15,000 bond.