83 Year Old Accused of Attacking fellow resident at homeowners meeting in Vero Beach, FLA

By Lamaur Stancil, TC Palm

VERO BEACH — A Vista Royale resident attacked a man speaking during a homeowners meeting Monday, according to an incident report released Thursday by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.

Arthur C. O'Neill, 83, of the first block of Woodland Drive, Vero Beach, was given a notice to appear for a battery charge. More than 150 people were at the Vista Royale clubhouse, in the 400 block of Woodland, when O'Neill tackled and punched resident Jim Preas at the podium, according to the report.

Preas, 78, said he was discussing a warehouse issue and Robert's Rules of Order when O'Neill charged him at 9:20 a.m. Five people told deputies O'Neill's attack was unprovoked. Preas, a former homeowners board member, said O'Neill has acted unruly at previous meetings.

Preas was not hospitalized, but was still recovering Thursday from the attack, he said.

Deputies said O'Neill denied striking Preas at the meeting, according to the report. O'Neill's wife told deputies her husband suffers from Alzheimer's disease, according to the report.