A violent beach fight between two young Spring breakers took a gruesome turn when a teenager bit a man’s ear off.
Authorities in Lee County, Florida have confirmed that the assault took place on St. Patrick’s Day at Fort Myers Beach.
Beach fight leads to battery charge
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrested 18-year-old Jack Turner in connection to the fighting and biting incident. He faces a felony battery charge and was taken into custody following the attack.
Reports indicate that deputies assigned to Spring Break Detail were patrolling Estero Boulevard on ATVs when a man, claiming to have just been attacked, signaled for help.
The victim explained that he had been involved in a fight and that a part of his left ear had been bitten off during the altercation at the beach. He was then taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
A witness recorded video footage of the incident, which deputies later reviewed. The footage reportedly showed the victim lying face-down in the sand while the suspect straddled him from behind.
The video revealed that Turner repeatedly struck the victim on the back of the head with a closed fist before grabbing the man by the hair and pulling his head backward.
The suspect then bit down on the victim’s ear, causing what officials described as a “traumatic auricular amputation.”
Beach fight mimics Tyson vs. Holyfield match
According to witness statements, bystanders eventually intervened to break up the altercation. A witness also told deputies that prior to the physical confrontation, Turner had allegedly used racial slurs toward the victim before attacking him from behind.
The victim then turned to face his assailant and assumed a defensive stance before the two engaged in a struggle on the ground.
Authorities noted that Turner and the other man involved in the fight were acquainted with each other prior to the incident.
Shocked onlookers reacted to the attack, with one witness making a reference to a notorious 1997 boxing match in which Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s ear.
“What first came to mind? I thought about that Mike Tyson fight, a little bit of Evander Holyfield’s ear off. That’s so bad,” the witness said.
“That’s like, sad. Jack messed up, did a very bad thing. That’s very gross, man. What the heck. Keep him in the slammer.”
Turner was taken into custody and booked at the county jail. Records show he later posted a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Lee County Circuit Court on April 21.
Festival goer takes a bite out of police officer
Meanwhile, another case involving a violent biting incident in Florida recently concluded in court. A man who attacked a law enforcement officer by biting off part of his scalp during a music festival last year has pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and is now facing prison time.
James Michael Anderson, 37, was among dozens arrested at Sol Fest, an electronic dance music festival held in Ponce de Leon, Florida, in early May 2024.
Anderson allegedly attacked a deputy from the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office at the event, biting off a portion of the officer’s scalp and exposing part of his skull.
Authorities also accused Anderson of attempting to seize the deputy’s firearm during the altercation.
Holmes County Chief Prosecutor Jacob Cook later revealed that Anderson made a disturbing remark after the attack, stating, “he had hair in his teeth.”
Cook, who has prosecuted numerous violent offenses, described the injury as “the most severe bite wound I have ever seen in my career.”
The wounded deputy, who has since returned to duty, reportedly sustained permanent scarring.
State Attorney Larry Basford noted that Sol Fest 2024 drew a crowd of over 10,000 attendees, and law enforcement faced significant challenges in maintaining order.
WJHG reported that 68 concertgoers were arrested at the event, primarily for drug-related offenses, including possession of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, and MDMA.
Anderson was arrested on May 5, 2024, and formally charged with aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer.
He ultimately entered a guilty plea and received a six-year prison sentence, followed by a decade of felony probation.
