A 67-year-old Florida man was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated assault and battery after a dispute with a woman he met on Tinder for a "sugar baby" arrangement escalated into a car chase and a gun threat. David Allen O'Brien of The Villages faces accusations that he rammed the woman's vehicle with his truck and then pointed a semi-automatic rifle at her friend.
The incident began on July 21 when O'Brien met the 21-year-old woman, offering $1,000 per visit, which included dinner and shopping, according to an arrest report. The woman brought three friends with her. O'Brien reportedly gave the woman $200 and took her shopping for lingerie, followed by dinner where he gave her an additional $600.
Later, at O'Brien's home, the woman began to feel uncomfortable and contacted her friends to pick her up. When she attempted to leave in her friends' car, O'Brien allegedly demanded the money back, stating it was not part of their agreement. The woman entered her friends' vehicle, and O'Brien began pursuing them in his Ford F-150 truck.
According to the arrest report, O'Brien rammed the car carrying the woman and her friends as they navigated a traffic circle. The impact caused the vehicle to crash into a telephone pole. Three of the occupants fled, but as a 22-year-old male attempted to exit, O'Brien allegedly pointed a Ruger .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol at him, threatening to kill him if he did not comply.
The man reportedly got on the ground but was able to move to safety when O'Brien became distracted. Police arrived on the scene and found O'Brien with his weapon. O'Brien reportedly told authorities that the other vehicle had blacked-out tail lights, which he interpreted as a sign he was being "scammed."
O'Brien was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill and aggravated battery. He was taken to Sumter County Jail without incident. His arraignment is scheduled for August 14, according to county records.