Unarmed man charged with battery for using his foot against hunters armed with guns, dogs

ALTOONA, Fla. – A group of hunters were armed with guns and dogs but one of them became the victim of a violent crime when the dogs made a wrong turn.

The victim “stated that he was out hunting with some friends and hunting dogs,” on Dec. 7 in Florida. “[He] noticed the dogs were getting onto someone’s property,” the arrest report said.

“While attempting to recall them, he received a phone call from one of the property owners, [a woman], who told [the victim] that she had [his] dogs and one of them bit her husband, Lee Pounders. [The victim] then went to their property in an attempt to retrieve the dogs when both parties began arguing.

“[The victim] stated that he called the woman a ‘b****.’ That’s when her husband became upset and kicked [the victim] in the genitals.

“Lee then exited behind the gate and pushed [the victim]. [The victim’s] friend, [name], became fearful for [the victim’s] safety so he drew his Smith & Wesson handgun and pointed it at Lee. [The friend] pushed Lee in an attempt to gain distance. Once he felt it was safe, [the friend] then holstered his firearm. [The victim], [friend], and the other parties hunting with them then went up the road to wait for law enforcement.”

It turned out, one of the hunters shot video of what happened. Deputies reported

it “showed Lee moving a kicking motion at [the victim], then attempt to push [the victim]. The video then shows [the friend] pulling his firearm, separating Lee from [the victim], then pushing Lee to create a safe distance before reholstering his firearm.”

Finally, deputies “went to Lee’s house, and spoke with him and his wife. They advised it’s a common occurrence for hunting dogs to end up on the property. They immediately called [the victim] in an attempt to get them to get their dogs. [The victim], [friend], and several of his friends then arrived at the front gate.

“Both parties began arguing with each other when [the victim] called [the wife] an ‘ugly b****,’” the arrest report said. “Lee then stated that this upset him, and ‘he lunged at him’ but didn’t strike [the victim].

“Lee told deputies that he then fell to the ground and that’s when [the friend] pulled a firearm on him. Lee advised that’s what he got up and retreated back behind the gate.”

Authorities decided who was at fault arrested Pounders for battery, “due to Lee striking [the victim] in the genital area, as well as pushing him,” the arrest report said.

Nobody else was charged.

“It should be noted that once in jail,” a deputy wrote, “Lee made a comment that he would do the same thing. He told me that if someone calls his wife an ‘ugly b****’ again, that he would ‘whack [sic] them again.’”

Pounders, 66, spent two-and-a-half hours in jail before his release in lieu of $1,000 bond. He also signed a No Victim Contact Order.

The arrest warrant did not mention how Pounders and the victim knew each other, and their phone numbers. It also didn’t mention how badly Pounders was bitten, or how badly the victim was kicked, for that matter.