Florida woman accused of punching beloved 97-year-old bartender

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 24-year-old woman was arrested Friday after she allegedly punched a beloved 97-year-old bartender in the face during an altercation at Hurricane Tina’s Bar in Fort Myers.

The victim, Betty Kai, 97, told the Lee County Sheriff’s Office she was bartending when Sarah Powell, 24, walked into the bar claiming to be the owner’s sister. Kai said she knew the owner very well and knew this was untrue, but told Powell the owner would be coming in later.

Powell then went over and sat at one of the video games, but after a few moments, she came back to the bar and began ordering drinks. That’s when Kai told her she was not going to serve her any alcohol because she was “already intoxicated.”

According to an arrest report, when Powell was denied service, she became “very agitated and aggressive” with the 97-year-old.

The 24-year-old began threatening Kai and approached the entrance of the bar. When Kai blocked her from going behind the bar, Powell grabbed her right forearm. Kai told deputies she tried to push her away, which caused Powell to lose grip on her arm. As the 97-year-old pulled away, Powell punched her in the face, the report stated.

After Kai was hit, multiple people in the bar restrained Powell, escorted her out of the bar, and locked the doors. Kai suffered multiple cuts to her right forearm, and her cheek was red and slightly swollen, deputies said.

According to the report, once a deputy arrived at the bar, Powell had already left.

When deputies located Powell on Friday, she allegedly gave a false name and tried to leave the scene. According to the sheriff’s office, Powell became disorderly and tried to hit a deputy in the face several times before being detained on the ground.

Powell was arrested and faces several charges including, battery on a person over 65 years or older, battery on law enforcement, giving a false name to law enforcement, and resisting an officer without violence.

She is currently behind held at the Lee County Jail.

NBC affiliate WBBH did a story on Kai and her impact as a beloved and legendary bartender on Fort Meyers Beach in September 2023.

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