Beer Borrowing Brings On Family Brawl, Complete With Shotgun Blasts, Pickax, Two Cans Of Replaced Beer, Arrest

What’s a little beer sharing between family members in Putnam County, Florida? Apparently, a lot. What began with a father taking two cans of beer from a cooler off his son and daughter-in-law’s porch ended with a shotgun blast through their front door, the wielding of a pickax, and several charges against the father, resulting in his arrest.

Authorities with local law enforcement in Putnam County say that Elvis Rhodes, 55, took the two beers from a cooler on his son and daughter’s porch Sunday while they were away. When Christopher and Elaina Rhodes returned and found the two beer cans missing, they confronted the elder Rhodes, the huffington news reported.

Elvis Rhodes was upset that they were angry, but wanted to apparently make things right, so he walked to a convenience store to replace the beer he had taken in order to appease them. Kudos to him for having the sense not to drive a vehicle after the beer consumption, but that’s where common sense appeared to end. The replaced beer was meant to be a peace offering and end to the argument.

However, things turned bad when Elvis returned and his son and daughter-in-law had locked themselves in their residence and would not answer the door, seemingly not wishing to hear his apology or accept the replaced beer. That’s when Elvis decided to take things into his own hands with a pickax, angry that they would not forgive him. As the father chopped at the door with the pickax, his 28-year-old son fired several shotgun blasts through the door. His father was not hit by the gunfire and was not injured.

The elder Rhodes retreated from the scene and proceeded to call the police, who could see plenty of evidence of the carnage upon their arrival. Elvis Rhodes was arrested on two counts of burglary and two counts of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. He was taken to the local jail and booked on the charges. It is unknown if he made bail. However, his mugshot shows the man either smirking or half-smiling.

The son was not charged in the incident as he was simply protecting himself and his wife from his pickax-wielding father. It is not known why the cooler of beer was being stored on the porch, although it’s clear it was not up for grabs for anyone to take, not even Dad. It is also unknown if there had been any domestic altercations at the residence nor with the family before. While it is fortunate that there was no bodily harm to anyone, the same cannot be said of the door.

[image courtesy Putnam County jail]