A Florida man who was volunteering to help the Salvation Army was arrested after attacking a Publix manager with the donation kettle tripod, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Steven Pavlik, 63, of Stuart was arrested after the Tuesday incident at the Publix on Kanner Highway in Stuart, charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest without violence.
The sheriff’s office posted to its Facebook page that Pavlik was a part-time charity worker who rang the bell outside the Publix. The arrest report stated he had been volunteering there since Thanksgiving.
“Drunk ringing, belligerent tidings and assault took him from bell duty to booking blotter after a full blown charity tirade,” the post reads. “Instead of spreading holiday cheer, Pavlik acted more like bad Santa becoming intoxicated on duty and aggressively confronting people walking by, creating a major disturbance outside the store.”
The post said the manager came outside to speak with Pavlik when he became violent and attempted to impale the manager with the sharp end of the donation kettle tripod.
The arrest report stated witnesses said Pavlik tried to “spear” the manager in the chest.
Pavlik fled the scene, but deputies were able to locate him at his home and take him into custody.