Inset: Paul Holmes (Volusia County Jail). Background: Spruce Creek Fly-In Community in Port Orange, Florida (Google Maps).
A Florida HOA president allegedly pushed a 12-year-old off his bicycle and stole the bike because he didn”t think the boy was supposed to be at the community’s clubhouse.
Paul Holmes, 69, is accused of child abuse and petit theft.
The incident unfolded Tuesday evening inside the Spruce Creek Fly-In community in Port Orange, a probable cause arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime said. A fly-in community is designed to allow residents to land and park their private planes next to their homes.
The victim said he was riding his bicycle around the Spruce Creek Clubhouse when he became tired and sat down near the tennis court.
He said he saw Holmes, who was “staring at him and making an odd facial expression.” The boy said he hopped back on his bicycle and raised his middle finger toward Holmes.
That’s when Holmes allegedly pushed the boy off his bike and said “Do you know who I am? I’m president of the HOA.” Holmes then picked up the bicycle and put it in his car and drove away, cops said.
The boy, who recently moved to the area from Texas with his grandfather, ran home crying. Shortly thereafter, the grandfather saw Holmes with the bike in his car and requested that he return it. Holmes initially refused, which sparked an argument that was filmed by the HOA president’s wife, the affidavit stated. Eventually, Holmes returned the bicycle.
Deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office spoke with Holmes, who said he and his wife were at the tennis courts when they saw the boy sitting alone and “doing nothing,” cops wrote. Holmes told deputies there have been issues with juveniles hanging out at the club who were not members, although they were not committing any crimes.
After the boy raised his middle finger at them, Holmes and his wife asked him if he lived there and whether he was “a member of the club.” Holmes claimed the boy ran away and left his bicycle behind. He allegedly said he picked it up and was going to give it to security.
Holmes denied assaulting the boy, but also said he did not remember what happened, cops wrote. But deputies noted the boy had redness on his arm and said it didn’t make sense that he would leave the bike behind. At this point, Holmes apparently decided to stop speaking with cops.
Deputies arrested Holmes and took him to the Volusia County Jail. He has since bonded out. His next court date is set for June 23.
