News
PINELLAS PARK — City Council member Rick Butler last month got into a physical confrontation with another man who made obscene gestures and shouted at him.
Police were called to the scene of the Dec. 5 fracas, but no charges were filed and there were no serious injuries.
According to the police report, Pinellas Park resident Dwaine Scott said he was walking to the store with his girlfriend when a man in a car drove by and gave him dirty looks. Scott told officers he yelled at the man and made an obscene gesture with his middle finger. The man, Butler, stopped the car and approached Scott.
Butler told officers he asked Scott why he was yelling and Scott took off his belt and began hitting the council member with it. Butler said he tried to grab Scott to stop the hitting, but Scott then began "smacking him with a beaded necklace while running away."
Officers said Butler had "multiple scratches on his left arm in the shape of a beaded necklace.
"Butler also had a bruise on his left abdomen from what appears to be the belt."
Anne Lindberg can be reached at alindberg@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8450.
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