Florida man arrested in fight outside Oviedo 7-Eleven that left man brain-dead, officials say
Brian Darnold, 29, was arrested for allegedly punching a man in the face causing him to go brain-dead. (Courtesy of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office)
OVIEDO, Fla. - A 29-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter after he punched another man outside a convenience store, which knocked him unconscious, and then drove off without checking on him or calling 911, according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. That man was later found to be brain-dead and died at the hospital days later.
Brian Darnold, 29, was arrested earlier this week and booked into jail on one count of negligent manslaughter in the death of Amir Aryafar.
Deputies responded to the 7-Eleven near Red Bug Lake Road and Slavia Road in Oviedo around noon on May 1, according to the arrest report. Deputies found Aryafar unconscious in the parking lot. He was transported to the hospital with a "substantial brain injury," the report said.
Darnold was no longer at the scene and later found at someone else's house.
According to the arrest report, Darnold told deputies that he walked into the convenience store and bought cigarettes. When he walked out, Aryafar asked him for a "smoke." Darnold offered him a cigarette, but Aryafar allegedly wanted weed.
More Florida crime stories
- Man shopping with wife used cell phone to spy on woman in dressing room at Daytona Beach mall, police say
- 1 shot after argument over basketball game at Coastline Park in Sanford, police say
- Sister of slain Florida pastor pleads for witnesses to come forward in Orlando banquet hall shooting
When he said he didn't have any to sell, the two said expletives to one another and moved on.
Moments later, Amir allegedly walked toward the car Dardnold was in. He got out of the vehicle, punched Aryafar once, which knocked him down, and then got back in the car with his girlfriend and drove off.
Darnold alleged Aryafar ran towards the car and that he needed to "jump out and defend us," referring to his girlfriend, the report said. He also alleged that Aryafar threw the first punch. However, deputies said he was unable to see Aryafar throw a punch in the surveillance video.
"I always try to give someone a way out first. I try to walk away and if they come back at me, even after I walk away, then I gotta do what I gotta do," Darnold told the deputy. Darnold also said that he felt bad that the man was unconscious, though during the interview, it doesn't appear that he knew the man had since died, according to the report.
Aryafar died on May 3 after life-support was stopped.
On June 19, the medical examiner completed the autopsy and said Aryafar died from complications of traumatic brain injury and that the manner was homicide, the report said.