Jacob Ogles
The Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office won’t prosecute Osceola County lobbyist Mike Horner.
The former state Representative was arrested in May at a fundraiser for appointed State Attorney Andrew Bain on a charge of assaulting an elected official. That happened after an altercation with Osceola County School Board member Jon Arguello, a Republican candidate for state Senate.
Because of potential conflict of interest issues, the case was reassigned from Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit to Florida’s 18th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Phil Archer. Last week, State Attorney Archer’s Office filed a notice with the court that it does not intend to pursue charges. The case was closed on July 25.
“The state of Florida, by and through the undersigned Designated Assistant State Attorney, hereby gives notice to the Court that the State does not intend to file an Information, at this time, on the charges only in the above-styled case number,” reads a brief filed by Assistant State Attorney Stacey Straub Salmons.
Police records show St. Cloud Police answered a call from Horner. He told police that after Arguello showed up at a May fundraiser at Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Q, he informed the official he was not invited or allowed to attend. After telling Horner that was none of his business, the School Board member started recording Horner on his video, and Horner tried to snatch the phone from his hand.
Horner told police he asked restaurant staff to remove Arguello from the event, and Arguello threatened to “kick his ass” and continued to insult him even after being removed from the room.
The police narrative said that Arguello claimed Horner grabbed his wrist as he attempted to snatch the phone multiple times. The School Board member alleged it was Horner who threatened him, and then said he would defend himself.
Police wrote that the video taken on Arguello’s phone seemed to show Horner, after saying he did not want to be recorded, charging toward Arguello and then knocking the phone from his hand. That evidence prompted police to arrest Horner on a charge of battery against an elected official. Arguello faced no charges, but was trespassed from the property at the request of Fat Boy’s management.
