Miami-Dade County prosecutors have dropped battery charges against a 72-year-old Florida man who pushed a fellow resident of his condo, an 86-year-old man, out of an elevator because two people were already on it, the maximum under the condos coronavirus precautions, according to a story by the Washington Post.
The 72-year-old man, Nachem Gross, and his wife were riding down the elevator when it stopped at a floor where the older man waited. When the 86-year-old Gerald Steiglitz tried to get on the elevator, Gross used his arm to block entrance, holding up two fingers to signal the elevator was full, according to video from the elevator.
The Steiglitz continued to try to board the elevator, at which time Gross pushed him, causing the older man to fall, out of camera range.
Gross and his wife both have underlying health conditions, and the condo has a maximum elevator occupancy of two people to cut down on the spread of coronavirus.
Gross’s lawyer hinted that he would have utilized Florida’s “stand your ground” law, designed to protect defendants who feel the need to use deadly force when they feel their lives are in imminent danger.
Steiglitz did not sustain any serious injury in incident.