A Villager was detained following an unusual physical incident at one of The Villages’ busiest polling stations.
Patricia Kathleen Shaw, 66, of the Village of Bridgeport near Lake Miona Shores, was arrested Friday morning on a misdemeanor charge of battery.
The event occurred about 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday during early voting for next Tuesday’s primary election. The polling place at Laurel Manor Recreation Center is one of the busiest in The Villages.
According to an arrest complaint from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, a poll worker asked Shaw to leave the polling area, resulting in a verbal argument. Shaw allegedly grabbed the employee’s right hand and jerked her arm. The worker told Shaw to let her go, and Shaw reportedly left the room and proceeded outside at a “fast pace.”
Two of the victim’s coworkers observed the incident. One described Shaw’s grip as “forceful,” while the other claimed Shaw shoved the worker’s arm away “aggressively.”
Deputies discovered Shaw sitting outdoors in her golf cart. The Dallas, Texas native claimed she has a condition that makes communication difficult, and that she simply touched the worker’s hand to draw her attention so she could communicate more effectively. A man who was with Shaw confirmed her account, telling deputies that she reached out to grasp the worker’s hand due to her difficulty communicating.
The person was not wounded and denied medical attention.
Based on the victim’s and coworkers’ sworn testimony, deputies assessed that there was probable cause for arrest. Shaw was arrested at her house on Miona Shores Drive on Friday morning.
She was booked into the Sumter County Detention Center on a $1,000 bond.
Shaw and her husband bought the house in 2024.
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