Jail ‘refused’ battery suspect with dozens of priors until his latest facial injury was treated

By LENNY COHEN

BELLEVIEW, Fla. (CohenConnect) – This unusual case ended with both the victim and suspect battered, and the suspect’s booking photo – showing a “laceration to his forehead” – was the latest of dozens taken by four law enforcement agencies over the decades.

“Upon arrival,” a police officer wrote, “I located the suspect to be lying down on the grass.”

In fact, Walter William Frymire would remain there, outside a pawn shop in Florida, until the victim of the “physical altercation” told his side of the story.

At about 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 3, “Dispatch advised that the suspect of the battery has a laceration on his forehead and is a [man] with no shirt.”

According to Frymire’s arrest report, the victim told the officer, “Walter had scared one of his female employees and advised [sic] there’s a [man] bleeding from his forehead.

“[The victim] advised he went to go speak with the male to see if he needed any assistance.

“[The victim] advised that Walter had postured up in a fighting position and had spit at him.

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“[The victim] advised Walter approached him quickly and advised he acted in self-defense.

“[The victim] advised Walter then ‘swung’ his fist towards him, which made contact with his right eye.

“[The victim] advised he wanted to press charges.”

It was at this point, the officer wrote, “I relocated to Walter, who was still lying on the ground.

“I then placed Walter in handcuffs behind his back; then he was placed in the rear of my marked patrol unit.

“Walter asked what he was being charged with, and I advised Walter he was being placed under arrest for battery.

“I then transported Walter to the Marion County Jail where he was refused due to the laceration to his forehead.

“I then transported Walter to Ocala Medical Regional Center where he received the proper treatment and was later taken to the Marion County Jail,” where the photo shows he was given a shirt.

The arrest report ended by noting Frymire had “previously been convicted of battery or felony battery” in 2002 and 2019 in Polk County, where most of his arrests took place.

CohenConnect found 23 mugshots of Frymire taken by four law enforcement agencies since 1996.

In addition, there are five dates from 1994 to 1996 when booking photos from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were not available.

These are a dozen of Walter William Frymire’s mugshots taken (clockwise from top left) from 1996 to 2011. Ten others were not available.Photo by(Polk Co. | Fla. Dept. of Corrections | Charlotte Co.)

Frymire was charged with (clockwise from top left) battery in 1996; assault by threat of violence in 2001; battery in January 2002; 2 counts of threatening a public servant, battery, and a probation violation in May 2002; larceny-petit theft up to $300 in April 2004; lewdness-1st offense in July 2004 (Frymire is not listed in Florida’s sex offender registry); larceny-petit theft between $300 and $5,000 and lewdness-2nd offense in August 2004; 2 felonies that could’ve led to murder and 2 counts of battery on a detention facility employee by fluids in 2005; a mugshot from one of Frymire’s half-dozen trips to state prison, believed to have been taken in 2006; 2 probation violations in 2007; 2 counts of battery on a detention facility employee by fluids and 2 counts of causing false fire alarms in 2009; and a photo from 2011, when Frymire simply had his picture taken before a hearing.

Records show Walter William Frymire was sentenced to state prison six times.Photo by(Fla. Dept. of Corrections)

Walter William Frymire served six sentences in state prison over the years for a variety of crimes.

These 11 booking photos of Walter William Frymire were taken (clockwise from top left) from Jan. 2, 2013, to Sept. 3, 2024.Photo by(Polk Co. Sheriff’s Office | Marion Co. Sheriff’s Office)

Frymire was charged with (clockwise from top left) 2 counts of battery on law enforcement, resisting with violence, and making threats in 2013; 2 counts of violating terms of his conditional release in 2017; 2 charges involving drugs and 2 charges involving driving in 2019; petit theft-1st offense in 2020; failure to appear for petit theft-1st offense in March 2021; 2 drug charges and trespassing in May 2021; a charge of trespassing and larceny in 2022; giving a false name to law enforcement, making threats, and 2 failures to appear in 2023; disorderly intoxication, wearing a mask in public, and possession of an open container in May 2024; and felony battery on Sept. 3, 2024.

Walter William Frymire showed up in jail with injuries in (from left) 2002, 2005, 2018, and finally on Sept. 3, 2024.Photo by(Polk Co. Sheriff’s Office | Marion Co. Sheriff’s Office)

Looking specifically at the photos with injuries, in May 2002 (from left), Frymire pleaded no contest to two counts of corruption by threat against a public servant and felony battery. No documents were available to explain why his face was held in front of the camera for his booking photo.

In 2005, he pleaded guilty to battery on a detention facility employee and to a reduced charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm. Again, no documents with details on his facial injuries were available.

Frymire’s arrest report from 2018 said he was involved in a disturbance after his mother was evicted, and the new tenants were removing items. Arguing and cursing led to the victim’s fiancée “getting pushed by the defendant and knocked to the ground. [The man] stated that he was punched in the left side of the face with a closed fist and was almost knocked out. [The man] stated that he began wrestling with the defendant, where he was able to get the defendant off the property. [The man] stated that the defendant scraped his forehead on the roadway while wrestling with each other.” Frymire pleaded no contest to two counts of felony battery.

This time, he was charged with just one count of felony battery. His bail was set at $10,000 and Frymire, 50, has not paid it or been released.

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