A suspect in Florida has been taken into custody and charged with manslaughter following an altercation on a golf course that resulted in the death of an elderly man.
Robert Edward Moore Jr., 76, was arrested on July 27 and is facing one count of aggravated manslaughter on an elderly person. The victim, 87-year-old Dean William Zook, passed away weeks after the incident due to the injuries sustained.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 35 Orlando, the incident unfolded on June 28 at the Glenview County Club in The Villages. The confrontation began when Zook accidentally hit a car that Moore believed to be his own.
A witness described the scene, stating, "At the time, an unknown white male subject approached the scene of the minor accident and exclaimed, 'What the hell, you hit my car!'" The affidavit further explained that Zook admitted to hitting the vehicle and requested to exchange insurance information. However, the unknown individual struck Zook in the jaw with a closed fist, causing him to fall backward.
Despite attempting to defend himself, Zook was unable to protect against the assault. Moore eventually realized that the car did not belong to him and left the scene. Following the incident, Zook's condition deteriorated rapidly. During an interview with deputies, he began to slur his speech and exhibited signs of instability. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, where doctors discovered bleeding in his brain.
Tragically, Zook passed away on July 16, just one day before his 88th birthday. Authorities were able to apprehend Moore after stumbling upon an article about him scoring a hole-in-one in November 2022. Remarkably, he was wearing the same shorts, shoes, and sunglasses as he had during the confrontation.
During questioning, Moore admitted to mistaking Zook's actions as an attempt to flee the accident scene. He claimed to be unaware of the victim's age, although he acknowledged that Zook appeared older and frail. The affidavit stated, "The defendant also admitted to knowing the victim was older and appeared to be frail, but stated he did not think he was 87 years of age."
Moore was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Sumter County Detention Center. He is currently being held on a bond of $30,000. The Sumter County Sheriff's Office is actively investigating the incident, and no further details have been released at this time.
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