Video shows man attacking 75-year-old neighbor with bike wheel because of trash placement dispute in Miami Beach

By Hunter Geisel, Anna McAllister

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A Miami Beach man was arrested this week after he was caught on camera attacking his 75-year-old neighbor with an electric bicycle wheel during a dispute over trash placement.

According to arrest documents obtained by CBS News Miami, George Horton, 47, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with aggravated battery of a person 65 or older. During his bond court appearance on Wednesday, the judge issued a stay-away order from the victim and that he must get his personal belongings from his apartment with a police officer.

At this time, Horton is being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond. According to a records search, he also has a lengthy criminal history spanning several states.

The state has asked for him to go to a pre-trial detention center, which will happen on Thursday.

Trash talk turns violent Just before noon on Monday, Miami Beach Police were called out to a reported battery near a home on Normandy Drive. Upon arrival, police found the neighbor, Rodolfo Ortega, who was visibly injured and provided them a statement of what happened.

Ortega was involved in a dispute over trash placement on their street. During the interaction, Horton walked up to Ortega, “getting in his face and intentionally pushed the victim in the face.” Ortega pulled out a screwdriver from his waistband, which he had used to install cameras on the nearby building, in an attempt to defend himself, the arrest documents said.

According to the arrest documents, Horton then hit Ortega multiple times with an e-bike tire and rim, bringing him to the ground before going on to kick him in the face. Miami Beach Fire Rescue responded to the scene and treated Ortega, who suffered visible lacerations to his head and hands, along with several abrasions throughout his body.

During the investigation, Ortega provided surveillance video that captured the attack and a picture of Horton for reference. Crime Scene Units then came to the area to process the scene.

Police tried to locate Horton at his home after speaking with the neighbor, but they couldn’t find him. So, they disseminated a flyer about the incident to officers in the area.

Around 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, while detectives were surveilling Horton’s home, they saw him walk up to Ortega’s front, knocking and yelling incoherent statements. When detectives approached him, he then made his way to the back door of his apartment, where they were able to stop him for questioning.

According to the arrest documents, detectives noticed Horton’s breath smelled like alcohol and then took him into custody before charging him accordingly.

The neighbor tried reporting him several times Ortega spoke with CBS News Miami on Wednesday, saying that Horton had been allegedly harassing him for weeks. He said he tried to report his behavior several times before things came to a boiling point earlier this week.

“He tried to kill me,” Ortega said.

Ortega told CBS News Miami that he and others had been harassed by Horton for weeks before he went to take his trash out on Monday. He told Horton not to touch him before their interaction became physical.

“He pushed me, [and] I tried to defend myself,” he said. “And then, the first time he took the wheel — the big wheel — and YA! I go to the floor — he takes it more and more and more and more and more.”

Ortega told CBS News Miami that he previously reported Horton, who he said is a veteran, to police several times for reportedly erratic behavior.

“Three weeks, I talk to the police — nothing,” he said. “Nothing — do nothing.”

Ortega shared with CBS News Miami more video, this time showing Horton leaving something in front of his home prior to the incident. When he walked outside, he found a note saying he was “not an American citizen. I’m a U.S. Army soldier. Ha ha ha ha!”

Ortega continued, saying he doesn’t know what caused Horton to target him but he just wants him to get help.

“I don’t have nothing — no problem with the guy — but he’s crazy,” he said.

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