Authorities: Brothers used shovel, garbage can, pocket knife in fight

NICEVILLE, Fla., March 10 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they were called to break up a fight between two brothers who used a knife, a garbage can and a shovel as weapons in their brawl.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office said a deputy responded Feb. 27 to a call from a Niceville neighbor who said Thomas Mealer had been arguing with his brother loudly all day and the woman said she witnessed Mealer strike his brother in the head with a shovel, the Northwest Florida Daily News reported Monday.

"Upon arriving on scene I saw the defendant, Thomas Mealer, and [the] victim/brother ... outside of the trailer," the deputy's report reads. "The defendant was swinging a garbage can at [his brother] and [his brother] had a pocket knife in his hand. I immediately gave verbal commands to both the defendant and [his brother] to drop the weapons."

Mealer's brother was bleeding from his forehead and the deputy discovered a shovel with what appeared to have human hair stuck to a corner.

Mealer, who the deputy wrote "appeared highly intoxicated," told the deputy the argument started when his brother told him no one in their family loved or cared about Mealer.

Mealer was arrested and charged with aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. He is due in court April 8.