John Phillips, 65, has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an elderly woman over a church parking spot. The incident occurred last September at the parking lot of St. John Vianney Catholic Church of Orlando, and Phillips was booked last week. Marti Delzingaro and her daughter were parked in a handicapped spot, and then a black truck blocked them in. After a short verbal altercation, Phillips is alleged to have physically assaulted the woman.
“On September 25, 2024, Deputy Saintil (EID 9564) responded to the HCA Milenia Emergency Room in reference to a Battery, which occurred at St. John Vianney Catholic Church,” the affidavit began. “Deputy Saintil reported he responded to the emergency room and met with Jenna Delzingaro. He reported how “he observed minor swelling to the right side of her face.”
“Ms. Jenna Delzingaro advised when they went to leave a male in a black truck stopped in front of them and began yelling at them about being parked in the handicap space. She stated the male approached exited the truck and approached them, so she got outside of the vehicle to see what he wanted,” the document explained. “Ms. Jenna Delzingaro stated the male pushed the car door striking her. She stated then she shoved the male who then punched her in the face with a closed fist, knocking her to the ground.”
“Mrs. Delzingaro informed me she took her daughter, Jenna, with her to pick up her 5-year-old granddaughter. She advised she has trouble walking and needed the assistance putting her granddaughter in the car and car seat,” wrote the officer. ” Mrs. Delzingaro advised the male began yelling about handicap parking, and she showed him the handicap placard,…Jenna opened the door and stood up and to try to explain to the male, they have a handicap permit and were now trying to leave, when the male slammed the car door into her.”
“I reviewed the video surveillance footage in Evidence.com, the video showed Mrs. Delzingaro’s white sedan parked back up in the handicap parking spot, and Ms. Jenna Delzingaro at the rear driver side door leaning in securing her niece. A black truck pulls in front their vehicle stopping in front of their sedan, while Ms. Jenna Delzingaro gets inside the front passenger seat and closed the door. The truck stays parked.”
One witness was quoted in the affidavit. “[She] stated she tried to explain they are not associated with the car parked next to them and they came in this car and were trying to leave. She further stated the male told them he is not letting them leave and he is involving security,” the witness reported. “Ms. Jenna Delzingaro stated she told him, “What are you a dumbass.” And the male rushed her, yelling, “who are you calling a dumbass!” and then slammed the car door into her.”
“Ms. Jenna Delzingaro stated she was afraid for her mother and niece the entire time. She told me she had never been in a fight before the man was bigger than all of them and she was afraid, and stated she was trying to keep him away from the car when she engaged him the separate times,” explained the officer. ” Ms. Jenna Delzingaro stated she never gave him permission to hit or strike her, and that his actions placed her in fear, and she tried the best to defend herself.”
“You would expect an incident like this would occur at a shopping mall or grocery store parking lot certainly not at church. But the devil is everywhere,” one commenter said. “I get it. It is pure selfishness to use a handicapped spot when one does not need it. But it is just as wrong to rush to judgement based on “not enough information,” another chimed in.