SARASOTA, Fla. - A circuit court judge has dismissed of charges against a Sarasota fisherman that was arrested for stabbing another fisherman last November.
On November 2nd, 2013, 58-year-old David Christner of Sarasota, was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after stabbing another man with a sharpened spoon that was part of a fish stringer near the Siesta Drive Bridge.
According to court documents, Christner and the victim, Joseph Wild, had previously had an encounter in which Christner asked Wild to not park so close to the seawall. Wild became angry and fled the scene by peeling out of the parking lot. Other witnesses warned Christner to look out for Wild, due to his previous criminal convictions.
On the night of November 9th, Wild approached Christner's truck at the park and apologized for his behavior and offered to fish with him. As they walked together, Wild unexpectedly punched Christner in the face and knocked him down. As Wild approached again, Christner used the fish stringer to stab Wild twice.
Wild walked away to get the bridge tender's attention before collapsing from his injures. He was flown to Blake Medical Center for treatment. He was later found to have a .15 blood alcohol level.
Christner was later treated at the hospital for "acute nasal fractures."
According to Circuit Judge Thomas King, the Stand Your Ground law applies in this case, since Wild attacked without provocation while intoxicated, causing injuries found to constitute "great bodily harm," and Christner stopped defending himself when Wild walked away.
