Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Anthony Levern Tumblin, 70, was arrested last night after authorities said he struck his girlfriend with a child safety-seat base, hit a man with an object from the yard, struck a child with a pan lid and damaged two vehicles.
At approximately 10:15 p.m. Oct. 6, a Gainesville Police Department officer went to a home in the Duval neighborhood following a reported disturbance. The female victim said she and Tumblin had been arguing when he attempted to remove her shirt and place an infant on her chest, telling her, “You need to feed the baby.” She said she told him to stop and kicked him in the face when he did not. Tumblin reportedly removed his own clothing, and the woman left the room.
The argument continued, and Tumblin allegedly began throwing objects at the woman. A second victim came out of his room to investigate and was reportedly struck by a pan lid thrown by Tumblin. The second victim suffered minor bruising, according to the report.
The female victim reportedly slipped and fell, injuring her wrist. Tumblin then allegedly picked up the base of a child safety seat and struck her in the head with it.
A third victim, awakened by the commotion, came out of his room and said he saw Tumblin on top of the woman, hitting her with the safety-seat base. The third victim reportedly punched Tumblin several times, causing him to move away from the woman.
Tumblin allegedly ran from the home without clothing and began collecting and throwing items from the yard, including bricks, sticks, rocks and large metal propane tanks. One of the objects reportedly struck the third victim in the head, while a propane tank allegedly shattered the windows of two vehicles parked in the driveway.
The third victim reportedly pursued Tumblin, who continued throwing objects. Tumblin also allegedly threw two containers of lighter fluid onto a vehicle in the driveway.
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Tumblin reportedly ran naked across the street and asked for help. A person in the area gave him a pair of shorts.
After being read his Miranda rights, Tumblin reportedly provided investigators with several different accounts of what happened. He initially said he and the female victim argued about the baby and their living conditions, then said the dispute began after he compared her to his ex-wife. Tumblin said he offered to leave, which upset the woman, and that she ripped off his clothing. He said he went toward the front door, where she also pulled off his shorts, causing him to fall out of the home.
Tumblin reportedly told officers that the third victim came outside carrying a knife and charged at him. He said he threw objects at the man, who returned inside before coming back out and charging at him again. Tumblin said he threw items randomly and could not remember what he struck or whether he hit any of the victims. He said he ran across the street and knocked on a door, then picked up bricks from the street to throw at the third victim, who he claimed continued pursuing him.
Tumblin was taken to a hospital for injuries sustained during the incident. There, he reportedly said the female victim grabbed his shirt, flipped him onto the ground and applied pressure to the side of his neck. He said he ran from the bedroom after she released him, but she grabbed his pants and tore them. Tumblin said the third victim came outside with a knife, prompting him to flee. He reportedly scraped his leg on an old desk and said the third victim hit him in the face with a pan. Although naked, Tumblin said he ran through the gate seeking help. When he did not receive assistance, he returned to the home and began throwing objects. He reportedly admitted breaking the vehicle windows with a propane tank and throwing two bottles of lighter fluid onto one of the vehicles.
Tumblin faces two counts of domestic battery and one count of child abuse without great bodily harm. His criminal history includes four felony convictions, including two violent felonies, and nine misdemeanor convictions, four of them violent. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in 1994. Tumblin was also arrested for domestic battery in August, although those charges were later dropped. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $55,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
