A 64-year-old Miami-Dade man is in custody after deputies say a simmering dispute over a neighbor's dogs exploded into a machete attack that left the other man cut and bleeding from his left ear. Relatives stepped in and wrestled with the suspect to keep the fight from getting worse, and the man accused in the attack was treated at a hospital before he was booked into jail.
Deputies Say Dog Argument Ended With Machete Swing
According to an arrest report described by NBC 6 South Florida, the confrontation unfolded Sunday on Southwest 131st Place after an argument about the victim's dogs. Deputies say the neighbor, apparently scared the situation was getting out of control, threw a crowbar in fear. The suspect, identified in the paperwork as Hector Romero-Rodriguez, 64, then allegedly pulled a machete and swung it, striking the man on his left ear.
The victim's wife told NBC 6 that her son put Romero-Rodriguez in a choke hold and used his arm to block the blade while her husband bled from the ear injury. Romero-Rodriguez was hospitalized, then booked on an aggravated battery charge after he was released, the report states.
How Prosecutors May View The Charge
Romero-Rodriguez is charged with aggravated battery, a felony that can be filed when someone causes great bodily harm or uses a deadly weapon during a battery. According to the Florida Senate, aggravated battery includes conduct that intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm or is committed with a deadly weapon, and those factors can increase the severity of the case. Prosecutors will review the arrest report and any medical records before deciding what charges to formally pursue.
Dog And Property Fights Turning Dangerous
Violent run-ins between neighbors, often sparked by pets or property lines, have been popping up across South Florida in recent months. NBC 6 South Florida reported a Homestead case this year in which deputies say a man used a concrete block and a machete in an attack that injured multiple people, and the Miami Herald has detailed past deadly confrontations tied to neighbors' dogs. Together, those episodes underline how quickly a routine back-and-forth can escalate into a serious felony investigation.
Romero-Rodriguez remains in custody as the investigation continues. Court records will show whether prosecutors file formal charges and what the next steps in the case will be.
