72-Year-Old Man Used Lawnmower To Launch Rocks Toward Nine-Year-Old Girl

A 72-year-old man from Texas has been arrested after police say he allegedly used his riding lawnmower to fire rocks at his roommate, her ex-husband, and their nine-year-old daughter. When police interviewed Johnny Manning, he told them that he would do it again if he had the chance. He was charged with injury to a child with intentional bodily injury, misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief.

The dispute began weeks ago when Manning claims he attempted to kick out his roommate, Angela Bennett. He told Fox26 that he kicked her out three weeks ago, but Bennett claimed that was not true. When Angela's ex-husband, Chris Fontenot, came by to drop off their nine-year-old daughter, Manning became enraged and demanded they leave his property.

"I said, 'Put them back in the car and take them back where you got them, your house,'" Manning said. "I motioned to him [Chris] like that, I told him 'get out of my driveway.’”

Manning says that Fontenot threatened him and challenged him to a fight. Instead of brawling with Fontenot, Manning got on his John Deere riding mower and started driving toward Bennet, Manning, and their daughter. The three were getting into Fontenot's SUV when Manning reached the gravel driveway

"He just came full blown speed right at us with a John Deere lawnmower with the blades to the ground," Fontenot said. "One rock came through my window, landed in my chest."

"I just saw nothing but a big old poof of air and rocks and it splattered me and hit me in my face," said Angela Fontenot.

The rocks struck the nine-year-old girl near her eye and caused injuries to Bennett and Fontenot. The rocks also did major damage to his SUV.

While Manning said he would do it all again, he did feel bad about hitting the young girl.

"What I felt bad about, I really think the little girl was standing there and his wife was standing there. I should have waited until they got back into the car."

Photo: Galveston County Sheriff's Office


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