POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – The victim of a violent encounter at a South Florida golf course is speaking about his experience in an exclusive interview with Local 10 News.
70-year-old Will Robertson was emotional when he spoke to Local 10′s Rosh Lowe about the scary moments on the golf course.
“He goes into the trunk and he pulls a hammer out with big claws. He came swinging at me and on the asphalt. I went down that’s when he swung down with a hammer,” said Robertson.
The man accused of the attack, Filipe DeSousa, 33, faces numerous charges. They include aggravated battery on a person 65 or older, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill, tormenting or mutilating an animal, resisting an officer without violence and reckless driving causing damage to a person or property.
DeSousa was taken into custody at the Palm Aire Country Club golf course at 2600 N. Palm Aire Drive.
Broward Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Claudinne Caro confirmed that deputies were called to the scene at 11:18 a.m. Thursday regarding a reckless driver.
She said the suspect was doing doughnuts on the golf course and then got into a fight with a worker who confronted him, leaving the worker with minor injuries.
According to DeSousa’s arrest report, he drove his 1999 Mercury Sable toward multiple golfers while driving 25 to 35 mph, forcing them to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.
Deputies said DeSousa had his window rolled down and was yelling to golfers that he was the “Florida man” and he could do whatever he wanted.
“We have been managing this community for a lot of years. It’s concerning that someone has a problem,” one golfer told Local 10 News reporter Rosh Lowe.
According to a 72-year-old golfer named Jorge, DeSousa also struck a golf cart that then crashed into Jorge’s golf cart.
“There was a crazy guy driving a car and doing doughnuts, circles, and, you know, we told him not to do that because he was destroying the golf course, and he tried to hit a couple of golfers,” Jorge said.
Jorge said the other golf cart was destroyed in the crash and about five golfers were injured.
He said he suffered minor injuries and had his wife take him to the hospital to be checked out.
According to the arrest report, the crash caused about $10,000 in damage to both golf carts. Deputies said DeSousa’s car also struck a tree after he jumped out of it to confront a worker who was trying to stop him.
Deputies said DeSousa was armed with a gardening tool that resembled a hammer and told Robertson, “You want some of this?”
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue crews responded to the scene and transported the worker to a local hospital for treatment.
According to the arrest report, another person intervened, punching DeSousa multiple times and wrestling the weapon away from him.
A couple of golfers then held him down until deputies arrived to arrest him, the report stated.
Deputies said they found a white poodle in DeSousa’s car, which is why he’s facing a charge for allegedly putting the dog’s life in danger.
Authorities said DeSousa threw his head against the window in the backseat of the patrol car as he was being taken away from the scene, and said he refused to answer any questions, including what his name was or if he knew what the date was.
DeSousa appeared in court on Friday afternoon. A judge ordered him to stay at a private mental hospital. He is not allowed to go back to the golf course, or make contact with any of the victims. The judge also said DeSousa is not allowed to own a pet.