Dakota Valkyrie
October 29th, 2008, 11:08 AM
NORTH FORT MYERS — Authorities say an e-mail exchange between two men over the upcoming presidential election turned violent, leaving one man injured and the other under arrest.
According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Gary Honas and James Robert Simmons had been exchanging e-mails over the Nov. 4 election. Honas supported Republican presidential nominee John McCain, and one e-mail he sent allegedly included an anti-Barack Obama political cartoon.
Simmons asked that the e-mails stop, but the two eventually decided to settle the dispute with a fist fight Friday afternoon, during which Simmons' head was grazed by a gunshot.
Honas was charged with aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. His attorney says he was acting in self-defense.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/oct/28/e-mail-quarrel-over-candidates-turns-violent
Two truckers who used to work together tangle over political emails. One wound up shot.
Just one week before the presidential election, the victim says his now-former friend's political views went way too far. It started as emails and ended in gunshot.
His biggest concern tonight -- the alleged gunman is now out on bond.
"I knew it hit me because it was just pouring (blood)," Jim Simmons, victim, says. "Until last night when I got home, I was a red head."
Simmons can joke now, but a bullet to the head by a former friend left him stapled shut.
As the presidential election inches nearer, so has political propaganda -- something the Simmons say Gary Honas took too far, even emailing their friends and family what he calls right-wing, racist views.
One read "As long as I keep getting dozens of emails with innocent email addresses attached, I have no choice but to try to educate the ignorant and unwashed masses." It was signed Gary L. Honas.
Simmons says he doesn't care who Honas wants to vote for; he just wanted the emails to stop.
When the two truckers met, Simmons says he didn't expect to tangle but came prepared. Simmons says he and Honas punched each other, and then "(Honas) pulled the pistol, which was a revolver, cocked it and said 'today's your last day'," Simmons says.
The gun went off, grazing Simmons on the top left of his head.
"My ears are still ringing like if you go to a loud concert. It's that 'bzzz' sound, and I have a lot of pain behind my left eye like a migraine," Simmons says.
He goes back to the hospital tomorrow to make sure all of the shrapnel is out from his skull. http://www.winknews.com/news/local/33476699.html
According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Gary Honas and James Robert Simmons had been exchanging e-mails over the Nov. 4 election. Honas supported Republican presidential nominee John McCain, and one e-mail he sent allegedly included an anti-Barack Obama political cartoon.
Simmons asked that the e-mails stop, but the two eventually decided to settle the dispute with a fist fight Friday afternoon, during which Simmons' head was grazed by a gunshot.
Honas was charged with aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. His attorney says he was acting in self-defense.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/oct/28/e-mail-quarrel-over-candidates-turns-violent
Two truckers who used to work together tangle over political emails. One wound up shot.
Just one week before the presidential election, the victim says his now-former friend's political views went way too far. It started as emails and ended in gunshot.
His biggest concern tonight -- the alleged gunman is now out on bond.
"I knew it hit me because it was just pouring (blood)," Jim Simmons, victim, says. "Until last night when I got home, I was a red head."
Simmons can joke now, but a bullet to the head by a former friend left him stapled shut.
As the presidential election inches nearer, so has political propaganda -- something the Simmons say Gary Honas took too far, even emailing their friends and family what he calls right-wing, racist views.
One read "As long as I keep getting dozens of emails with innocent email addresses attached, I have no choice but to try to educate the ignorant and unwashed masses." It was signed Gary L. Honas.
Simmons says he doesn't care who Honas wants to vote for; he just wanted the emails to stop.
When the two truckers met, Simmons says he didn't expect to tangle but came prepared. Simmons says he and Honas punched each other, and then "(Honas) pulled the pistol, which was a revolver, cocked it and said 'today's your last day'," Simmons says.
The gun went off, grazing Simmons on the top left of his head.
"My ears are still ringing like if you go to a loud concert. It's that 'bzzz' sound, and I have a lot of pain behind my left eye like a migraine," Simmons says.
He goes back to the hospital tomorrow to make sure all of the shrapnel is out from his skull. http://www.winknews.com/news/local/33476699.html