Central Florida Retiree Arrested After Ramming Car, Brandishing Rifle in ‘Sugar Baby’ Dispute

A 67-year-old man from The Villages retirement community in central Florida has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault following an incident involving a vehicle collision and an alleged firearm threat. David Allen O’Brien was taken into custody Tuesday after police say he chased down and rammed a car carrying a 22-year-old woman and her companions, causing the vehicle to strike a telephone pole.

According to the arrest report, O’Brien met the woman through the dating app Tinder and proposed a “sugar baby” arrangement in which he would provide $1,000 per visit along with shopping and dining. On July 21, the two met for dinner, during which O’Brien gave the woman $200 for lingerie and $600 at a restaurant before returning to his home.

The woman contacted friends to retrieve her after becoming uncomfortable at O’Brien’s residence, requesting an Uber pickup. When O’Brien demanded she return the money, claiming the arrangement had been violated, she left in her friends’ vehicle. O’Brien then pursued them in his Ford F-150 truck through a traffic circle, where he rammed their car, forcing it into a telephone pole.

When a 22-year-old male passenger attempted to flee the damaged vehicle, O’Brien allegedly pointed a .22-caliber semi-automatic Ruger rifle at him and threatened to shoot. The man was able to escape to safety when O’Brien became momentarily distracted. Officers found O’Brien at his truck with the weapon in his possession when they arrived.

O’Brien claims the vehicle he pursued had blacked-out tail lights, which he interpreted as evidence he had been “scammed.” He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and aggravated battery. He was transferred to Sumter County Jail and is scheduled for arraignment on August 14.