A Florida man, aged 35, was arrested and charged with felony battery after allegedly assaulting a Walgreens store manager with a Bible on Easter Sunday in Clearwater Beach. The incident occurred on March 31, according to an arrest affidavit from the Clearwater Police Department.
Reports state that the man, identified as Peter Owens, entered the Walgreens store late in the evening to purchase headphones. A verbal altercation ensued between Owens and a store employee over merchandise, which escalated when the store manager intervened. Owens reportedly struck the manager in the face with a Bible when she asked him to leave the store.
Authorities revealed that Owens had a prior conviction for battery and had been convicted on that charge in March 2020. Following the incident at Walgreens, Owens was located and taken into custody. He explained to the police that he hit the store manager with his Bible because he felt she was being rude, although he claimed he did not intend to harm her.
Owens was released from the Pinellas County Jail after posting a $5,000 bond. However, less than 24 hours after his release, he was arrested again, this time for allegedly stealing men's shoes and a box of Cheez-Its from a Walmart store in Tarpon Springs.
According to the affidavit from the Tarpon Springs Police Department, Owens took the snack into a bathroom, selected a pair of shoes, removed the tag, and placed the shoes in a duffle bag. He attempted to leave the store without paying but was apprehended by a loss prevention officer.
Law enforcement officers were notified, and Owens was arrested once more and transported back to the Pinellas County Jail. As of the latest update, he remains in custody on a $150 bond.
