Two men were arrested after a September 9 altercation at an Altamonte Springs Wawa, according to police and arrest-report information cited in local coverage. Authorities allege that 20-year-old Jorge Buss and 56-year-old Michael Thomas Kershaw confronted a man over $9 and that the encounter became physical before officers arrived.
WKMG ClickOrlando reported that Altamonte Springs police responded to the Wawa at 1390 E. Altamonte Drive on September 9 after dispatchers received reports of an altercation. Officers later stopped Buss and Kershaw near Anchor Road and Amanda Drive after the men were reportedly seen running toward a nearby McDonald's. The man identified in the report as Connor told police that Buss and Kershaw confronted him in the parking lot and demanded $9 they believed he had taken, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Connor told police he did not understand what the men meant and did not have the money, according to the arrest-report account cited by the station. Kershaw told officers that he had loaned Connor $9 for what he described as crack money and that the debt had not been repaid. Kershaw also said Connor swung first; Connor gave police the opposing account, saying Buss and Kershaw punched and kicked him. Buss said he was present to support Kershaw.
Bystander Steps In as Fight Breaks Out
A witness reportedly tried to separate Buss and Kershaw from the victim as the confrontation escalated. Kershaw suffered a small cut to the top of his head during the scuffle and refused medical treatment from responding Seminole County Fire Department personnel, per the arrest report detailed in the station's coverage.
Other Wawa incidents and crime data
Other publicly documented Central Florida Wawa incidents differ substantially from the Altamonte Springs case. On June 29, 2022, Orlando police said two people exchanged gunfire at a Wawa at 2057 N. John Young Parkway near Silver Star Road; no injuries were reported. On March 7, 2018, police cleared hundreds of clubgoers from a Wawa parking lot on Colonial Drive in Orlando; no one was hurt or arrested, according to WKMG ClickOrlando's report on the 2022 incident and its report on the 2018 crowd.
The available information does not establish how reported violent or disorderly offenses in Altamonte Springs have changed over several years or whether commercial corridors have experienced a particular trend. The city says its CityProtect system maps reported crimes within the Altamonte Springs Police Department's jurisdiction but cautions that not all crimes may be reflected, according to the City of Altamonte Springs.
Police arrested both men on charges of battery, disorderly conduct and resisting an officer without violence, the outlet reported. Under Section 784.03 of the Florida Statutes, misdemeanor simple battery can carry up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Section 877.03 classifies disorderly conduct, including public brawling or fighting, as a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Bond Set, Booking Adds a Third Charge
Both men were taken to the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford. The arrest-report account says Buss allegedly physically resisted correctional deputies there, resulting in the additional resisting charge. Under Section 843.02 of the Florida Statutes, resisting an officer without violence is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The available account does not specify Buss's bond amount.
The booking-record assertion previously attributed to MrMugshot.com is not independently verified here. The available account therefore does not establish countywide booking totals or provide a reliable breakdown of the charges.
A Busy Commercial Corridor Under Watch
The Wawa is located at 1390 E. Altamonte Drive. The incident occurred along the East Altamonte Drive corridor.
A Central Florida Wawa parking lot was the site of the incident. Whether Connor intends to pursue formal charges against Buss and Kershaw, and how prosecutors will handle the additional resisting allegation stemming from Buss's booking at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility, remain open questions as the case moves through Seminole County's court system.
