MARTIN COUNTY — A 63-year-old man working as a Salvation Army bell ringer was arrested after authorities say he became intoxicated and assaulted a store manager outside a Publix on Kanner Highway.
Steven Pavlik had been hired to ring bells at the Salvation Army collection site outside the store, but instead caused a disturbance by aggressively confronting people walking by, deputies said.
When the Publix manager went outside to speak with Pavlik, he became violent and attempted to impale the manager with the donation kettle tripod, authorities said. The manager was not injured.
Pavlik fled the scene before deputies arrived but was later located at his residence and taken into custody, according to authorities.
He was transported to the Martin County Jail and charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest.