Man, 81, Cops Shuffleboard Rage Plea
Floridian socked fellow retiree at senior citizens center
DECEMBER 27--An 81-year-old Floridian has copped a plea in connection with a shuffleboard 
rage incident, according to court records.
Herbert Hayden this month entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor battery charge filed following a mid-September altercation at a senior citizens center.
Seen at right, Hayden was ordered by a Circuit Court judge to pay about $1000 in fines, fees, and restitution.
The octogenarian, who lives in a St. Petersburg mobile home park, was arrested after he got into a physical confrontation with a fellow retiree. According to police, Hayden punched the victim and struck him with a shuffleboard cue.
The attack, cops say, occurred at the Pinellas Park Senior Center’s open-air shuffleboard pavilion (pictured below). Hayden battered the victim near the close of the 16-court facility’s thrice-weekly Black & White Shuffleboard League competition.
Hayden and victim James Sutton “had a verbal argument that escalated into a physical altercation,” police reported. After the 6’, 200-pound Hayden slugged Sutton, he “hit him with his shuffleboard cue causing damage to both cues.” Sutton suffered a pair of four-inch scratches on his face during the scuffle.
A no contact order bars Hayden from coming within 500 feet of Sutton’s residence or vehicle. Hayden is also barred from calling or texting Sutton. The order also prohibits any contact via Facebook or Twitter, though the elderly Hayden does not appear to have any social media accounts. (2 pages)
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