A routine pickleball game at Treaty Park in St. Augustine turned ugly when a 47-year-old woman allegedly hit another player in the face several times with her paddle, leaving him with multiple cuts that bled heavily, according to an arrest report. Deputies arrested the woman, who is identified in the report as an orthopaedic nurse, on a charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor count of providing a false name to investigators.
News4JAX reported on June 18 that the confrontation unfolded around 10 a.m. on May 31, during a match at the park, when players got into a dispute over who should retrieve a ball. According to the arrest report, the argument escalated and the woman struck the man in the head several times with her paddle. Deputies charged her with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and with a misdemeanor for giving a false ID.
The affidavit states that deputies considered the paddle "a weapon that can cause serious bodily injury or death," language that elevated the allegation to aggravated battery, a second-degree felony. It also says the woman gave deputies a false name twice. She told investigators she was defending her son, but witnesses and the victim told authorities the son did not appear to be in immediate danger. Those details are taken from the arrest report, as reported by News4JAX.
What the charge means
Under Florida law, aggravated battery includes using a deadly weapon and is classified as a second-degree felony under F.S. 784.045. A conviction for a second-degree felony can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison under F.S. 775.082. Actual penalties depend on Florida's Criminal Punishment Code, along with any applicable enhancements or the defendant's prior record.
Pickleball tensions elsewhere in Florida
This is not the only time pickleball tempers have flared in Florida this year. In February, a confrontation at Spruce Creek Country Club in Volusia County turned into a brawl in which deputies said a player was hit with a paddle and multiple people were arrested, as reported by WKMG/ClickOrlando.
Where it happened
Treaty Park is a 47-acre St. Johns County recreation complex on the south side of St. Augustine that includes lighted sports fields, a skate park, walking trails, and tennis and pickleball courts. The county's facility page lists the park at 1595 Wildwood Drive in St. Augustine and notes that it hosts local pickleball events and tournaments. The park information comes from St. Johns County, which maintains the official listing for amenities and hours.
The woman remains charged, and court records or booking information were not publicly posted at the time of reporting. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, and the case will move forward in the local courts.
