A Villager who allegedly ruined more than $10,000 worth of Spam and Vienna sausages by peeing on pallets of the products at Sam’s Club has won a big break in court.
Patrick Francis Mitchell, 70, who lives in the Village of Piedmont, this past week in Lake County Court saw a felony charge of criminal mischief tossed out by the prosecutor’s office. Now he is only facing a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. A plea negotiation conference is set for Aug. 27. Mitchell is being represented by criminal defense attorney Bobby Rumalla and remains free on bond.
A woman was in Sam’s Club in Lady Lake on the morning of May 30 when the lady shopper spotted Mitchell “urinating in Aisle 18,” according to an affidavit of probable cause from the Lady Lake Police Department. The woman used her cell phone to take a photo of Mitchell and she showed the photo to store employees.
Sam’s Club employees reviewed the surveillance footage which clearly showed that Mitchell, “walked up to two pallets, facing the shelf, placed both hands in front of him below the belt line, and stood there for several seconds,” according to the affidavit, noting it was, “behavior consistent with urination.”…