Forwarded via email from my father:

Man attacks with spuds

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH

NORTH PORT COMMUNITY NEWS EDITOR

NORTH PORT — As potato pieces smashed near her   head, Phyllis Crymes-Roma ducked behind her Walmart shopping cart and screamed for help. She tried to get away from the man claiming   he worked for God as he yelled obscenities at her.

Around 10 p.m. Tuesday, the 66-year-old went to the North Port Walmart to buy salad dressing. She was approached by Steven Renard Grant, 36, who told her he worked for God, a North Port police report shows.

“I said that’s an interesting perspective, but I don’t think so,” she said Friday. “He (Grant) told me that I was going to hell. Again, I told him that was an interesting perspective, but no, I don’t think so.”

Angered by Crymes-Roma’s quick wit, Grant, of Warm Mineral Springs, allegedly began cursing at her.

As the 11-year North Port resident tried to walk away from Grant, he allegedly punched her in the back of her shoulder. Grant then reportedly grabbed the woman’s shopping cart and pushed it into her.

“The cart spun (and) I gripped it tightly. I was trying to keep my distance from him,” she said. “It hurt my wrist and I have   a blister on my hand because I was holding onto it so tight. My whole body hurts. I went to the ER yesterday.”

Crymes-Roma said she shoved the cart into Grant to try to stop him from hitting her again as she yelled for help. That’s when Grant reportedly went to the nearby produce aisle and threw four Russet potatoes at her head.

“It was like rocks were being thrown at my head,” she said. “Pieces of potatoes were splattering everywhere, including my hair.”

As Crymes-Roma ducked behind her cart and screamed, a witness ran for help. Grant turned   around and walked toward the exit. Several shoppers then came to Crymes-Roma’s aid.

“I yelled for someone to stop him,” she said. “I   wanted him arrested.”

Police arrived and arrested Grant on a charge of battery on a person 65 years old or older.

Crymes-Roma said she’s upset because Walmart employees didn’t react quickly enough when she yelled for help as she was being assaulted by the spud-throwing suspect.

“The employee in the (nearby) meat department only yelled, ‘Hey!’ when he heard all of the yelling,” she said. “I think if (Grant) was closer to the meats instead of the produce department, I would have been pelted with ground beef.”

Walmart store manager Pat Hillard said Friday that store employees reacted   appropriately.

“A Walmart employee called 911,” she said. “Our night manager became fully involved. We have zero tolerance for violence   in our store. We have security. We work closely with the North Port police officers. It’s safe for our shoppers.”

Crymes-Roma said once the adrenaline wore off and she realized what happened, she began shaking and burst into tears.

“A friend and her daughters came into the store as I was filling out the (police) paperwork,” she said. “I was crying. They offered to follow me home because I didn’t feel safe.

“I didn’t know this man at all and he did this crazy thing to me. I’ve lived all over the United States and I’ve never had anything so weird happen to me in my life.”

Grant remained at the Sarasota County Jail Friday on $10,000 bond.

Email: eallen@sun-herald.com