Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office reports a Milton man was arrested this week involving a physical altercation with a minor. Reports said DeMario Dewayne Smith, 25, Milton, allegedly busted the minor’s lip by hitting the minor in the mouth with a closed fist. Reports said a witness reported to deputies Smith pushed the minor to the ground causing the minor’s head to hit. Reports also said the witness provided a sworn statement that said Smith was ‘rough housing’ with the victim and at some point Smith became angry and hit the minor with his fist, including other injuries. The victim told deputies of chest and abdomen pains. Lifeguard EMS was called to the scene to evaluate the victim’s condition and taken to Santa Rosa Medical Center for further assessment. Smith was later found behind the shower curtain in a back bedroom of his apartment. On the same day, Smith was also arrested for battery-cause bodily harm and robbery from a warrant issued in August of this year. Reports said Smith was involved in an incident August 11, which occurred at Bible Way Baptist Church, Dogwood Drive, Milton. Reports said Smith allegedly committed robbery by taking property permanently from the custody of two juvenile victims who were walking along Dogwood Drive. Reports said the victims both said they had seen Smith and another unknown accomplice earlier in the evening at Brauhouse Apartments on Dogwood Drive. Deputies report the victims said Smith told them to follow him and his accomplice to the commercial dumpster behind the church. Once there one of the victims told deputies he was struck by Smith across the face and his hat was taken and not returned. Reports said Smith and the unknown accomplice were looking for marijuana. Reports said four days later the juvenile victims identified Smith in a photograph line up and also told deputies they also had a very small amount of marijuana taken from them the night of the incident by Smith, and did, indeed, show the drug to Smith earlier in the evening of the incident. Reports also said both Smith and his accomplice suggested to the juveniles they should go help them smoke the marijuana near the church dumpster. The juvenile victims told deputies they were scared and thought they would get into trouble for disclosing the theft of the marijuana. Smith is being held on $208,500 bond at the Santa Rosa County Jail.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: SRSO: Milton man apprehended for cruelty, battery, robbery