Arrest made in assault of 90-year-old Lehigh Acres veteran

Published:

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — A 26-year-old man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly assaulting an elderly, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Justin Wells, of 303 Clayton Drive North, is facing a charge of aggravated assault on a person 65 years or older after 90-year-old Robert Wingate was found severely beaten.

Deputies responded to the Clayton Drive home regarding a medical assistance. When they arrived, Wells, whose hands were covered in blood, told deputies Wingate was bleeding profusely from his head.

When Wingate saw police, he pointed at Wells, saying that he beat him up because of an argument over Krissy Seminoff, Wells’ 29-year-old girlfriend.

“I talked to the girl and he started raising hell and saying, ‘She’s my girl — you keep your mouth off of her and she’ll keep her way — don’t bother her anymore,'” Wingate said. “I said I never bothered her.”

According to Wingate, Wells then attacked him while he was sitting with his dog on his lap. The dog bit Wells, at which he point he proceeded to beat both Wingate and his dog.

Joe Darzinkas, Wingate’s caretaker, was out with his girlfriend at the time of the attack and couldn’t believe what happened.

“The one night we decide to go have dinner, then we come back and this is what we get,” he said. “That’s just uncalled for.”

Deputies also noticed the room in which the attack took place smelled like urine.

Lee County EMS later arrived to help the WW II veteran. During that time, Wells told deputies he and Wingate got into an argument over Wingate’s dog biting Wells in the hand, claiming the urine on the floor was due to the dog urinating when he picked him up to go outside.

However, Wingate stated that the urine was actually because Wells threw his portable urinal all over the room and on him.

Wingate was transported to Lee Health and is now recovering at home from a concussion. Seminoff, who lived in the home with him and Wingate, denied Wells hitting Wingate.

Wells was taken into custody due to inconsistent stories and physical evidence of him hitting Wingate. He is being held with no bond.

The Department of Children and Family is investigating the case.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.