John Jefferson
Inset: Richard Minor (Sarasota County Jail). Background: Fishing pier parking lot where Minor allegedly shot Jonathan Lee Arias to death (Google Maps).
A Florida man is facing a second-degree murder charge after he allegedly shot another man to death during a dispute over a handicapped parking space.
The incident unfolded shortly after 2:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Hart’s Landing fishing pier in Sarasota. According to the probable cause arrest affidavit, Jonathan Lee Arias, his wife and their friend arrived to fish and parked in a handicap spot. Richard Minor, 66, who was parked in the handicap spot next to Arias, questioned whether he was handicapped.
“Minor became agitated and confrontational with Arias. Both men exchanged words,” cops wrote. “Witnesses advised Minor continued to antagonize Arias from a distance which made Arias upset. After 15 minutes of listening to Minor harass Arias and the family, they decided to pack their fishing gear and leave the area.”
Arias began to drive away, but headed the wrong direction which caused Minor to “degrade” Arias, cops said. Arias got out of his truck and walked toward Minor’s passenger side door. According to the affidavit, Arias asked “What’s your problem” to which Minor responded “I’ll show you my problem.” Arias reportedly asked if Minor had “mental issues” and Minor responded, “Your day is coming.”
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Minor, sitting in the driver’s seat, sprayed bear spray at Arias through the open window, according to the affidavit. The victim then walked around to Minor’s driver’s side door. Minor allegedly fired “multiple shots striking Arias.” Witnesses said Minor fired about seven or eight shots, per cops.
Arias’ wife and friend got out of the truck and ran up to the victim, but Minor pointed a gun at both of them, cops said. Minor allegedly held the gun with the finger on the trigger and told Arias’ wife “get out of my face, b—-.”
Cops arrived to find Arias on the ground and Minor in his car with his hands on the steering wheel and a gun on his right leg. He also was sitting on a second firearm, the affidavit said. Paramedics rushed Arias to the hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
After being read his Miranda rights, Minor told cops that he arrived at the parking spot around 11:30 a.m. and began drinking alcohol in his car. Minor, a left-leg amputee, spoke about how people illegally park in handicap spaces. He stated Arias said “I’ll f— you up” after Minor questioned him about whether he was handicapped. Minor reportedly told cops when Arias approached his car after driving down the wrong way, Arias again said “I’ll f— you up” which caused him to use the bear spray. He said he fired his gun three or four times after Arias walked up to the driver’s side.
Police concluded that Minor should be arrested since it was “clear” Arias was unarmed.
If the incident sounds familiar, it’s because a similar shooting occurred about 60 miles up the Florida coast in 2018. In that case, Michael Drejka shot Markeis McGlockton during a dispute when the victim’s wife parked in a handicap spot at a convenience store in Clearwater. Cops initially declined to arrest Drejka, citing Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law which, according to The Associated Press, “generally says a shooting is justified if a reasonable person under those circumstances would believe they are in danger of death or great bodily harm. But it also says the shooter could not have instigated the altercation.”
However, prosecutors decided to charge Drejka with manslaughter and a jury convicted of the crime in 2019. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison. His lawyers ultimately declined to invoke Stand Your Ground immunity and instead argued only that Drejka was defending himself.
It’s unclear what will happen in the Minor case. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in the Sarasota County Jail on no bond. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 13.
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