A villager was detained after being caught panhandling on a median.
According to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Lucretia Merry Hewson, 51, who lives on the Historic Side of The Villages, was discovered Wednesday on the median at the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 441 and SE Hwy. 42 in Summerfield, not far from Mulberry Grove Plaza in The Villages.
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Three days previously, the Florida Department of Transportation gave her a trespass warning, prohibiting her from returning to the median, which has long been a popular area for panhandlers.
When she was arrested, Hewson claimed she had a brain injury that had impaired her memory. She claimed she didn’t recall the earlier interaction or the trespass notice. However, the deputy who prepared the arrest report stated that when Hewson realized his presence, she attempted to walk away from the median to avoid acknowledging him. She was arrested on a trespassing charge and placed into Marion County Jail.
Hewson was detained twice earlier this year.
- She was arrested June 7 by Sumter County sheriff’s deputy who had tracked her down in connection with the theft of merchandise from Villages Discount Golf Cars on U.S. Hwy. 441 in Lady Lake.
- While out on bond, Hewson was traveling in a golf cart on June 14 near the Orange Blossom Hills Country Club when she was caught with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Several years ago, Marion County officials notoriously attempted to crack down on beggars by passing an anti-panhandling code that required panhandlers to obtain a license, pay a fee, and disclose personal information. The ordinance also prohibited panhandling in specific areas and times. However, the ordinance was contested in court and eventually abolished. Panhandling is considered “free speech.”
Since the panhandling prohibition was repealed, panhandlers have continued to be an issue in Marion County, particularly in Mulberry Grove Plaza in The Villages’ Marion County neighborhood.
Panhandlers visit The Villages more frequently over the holidays, anticipating that Villagers are in the Christmas spirit and in a giving mood.
