MINNEOLA, Fla. — A man accused of beating up a man who is deaf and autistic was arrested Thursday.
Deputies said the victim, Rae Pitt, is known in the area as “Minneola Superhero” because he dresses as Superman and waves at residents and cars passing by.
The report said Pitt doesn’t bother anyone and is very friendly.
Residents said he is well-known in the community.
“He keeps to himself, he waves and smiles. He does his thing and it makes out community happy,” said Ashley Payne.
Pitt explained to deputies on paper that a man, later identified as Tyler McCorvey, 26, approached him, punched him in the chest and slammed his head against a car.
The victim explained that McCorvey ran off when a witness came to help.
The witness, Terra Brady, told deputies she confronted McCorvey and told him to leave as she walked Pitt to her home.
“I saw the man engaging in the same body movements and behaviors that Rae does,” said Brady.
She said McCorvey also pretended to be deaf.
She said McCorvey continued to follow them, but eventually ran off on U.S. Highway 27 when Brady’s daughter’s boyfriend came to help.
“Rae wrote down that he’s terrified and his body hurts, and he wanted to see a doctor,” said Brady. “I was scared he was going to hit me, or do something to get through me to get to Rae.”
A deputy later spotted a man who matched the description the witness gave investigators near a Sunoco gas station.
The deputy said McCorvey walked into a wooded area, where he asked him about the incident.
A report said that McCorvey told the deputy he was trying to fight Superman, but did not hurt him.
McCorvey was taken to the Lake County Jail, where deputies said he cried, screamed and dunked his head into a toilet.
He was then taken to Lake County’s main jail in Tavares.
Despite the attack, Pitt has returned to his regular intersection to do what he loves.