A 90-year-old Florida man showed lightning-quick hands that belied his vintage when he allegedly slugged a neighbor half his age twice in the face during a lawn mowing argument.
Thomas Conrad was arrested Saturday afternoon at his home in Sorrento, 30 miles north of Orlando, after a dispute over a gardener trespassing on his lawn descended into violence, police said.
Next-door neighbor Jack Henson, 46, told cops that his “lawn guy was being yelled at by [Conrad] for being on his property while cutting the grass,” according to a police report obtained by The Smoking Gun.
Henson said he asked Conrad “numerous times” to stop harassing the gardener, but the senior only became further incensed, shouting “vulgar obscenities” and declaring “I should punch you.”
When the younger man replied, “Go ahead, but I wouldn’t advise or police will get called,” Conrad allegedly punched him twice in the face, police said.
Officers arrived at the nonagenarian’s home – a $770,000, 3288-square-foot residence in the gated RedTail Country Club Community – to be told by his 89-year-old wife that he was resting and didn’t want to be disturbed.
When his spouse finally convinced him to speak with them, cops say Conrad explained that he hit Henson because the neighbor told him he could.
The officers then said they asked what Conrad would have done if Henson had said to go ahead and shoot him – to which the retiree allegedly replied, “Then I would have shot him.”
At that point Conrad allegedly lost his patience with the deputies, telling them to “Get the f**k out of my house,” according to the police report.
As they moved to arrest him, he allegedly “balled up his fists” and refused to put his hands behind his back, police said.
Finally handcuffed, Conrad was booked into the county jail on charges of battery and resisting law enforcement.
He was released from custody Saturday evening after posting $2000 bond, The Smoking Gun reported.
Conrad’s arraignment is set for October 13. He was ordered to have no contact with Henson.