SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A man was arrested in Seminole County weeks after a fight at a 7-Eleven convenience store left another man brain dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies arrested Brian Darnold, 29, on Monday.
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Investigators said on May 1, first responders were called to the 7-Eleven at 7405 Red Bug Lake Road after receiving reports about a man beaten unconscious.
Surveillance footage shows Darnold getting into a car to pull away from the store, which is when the victim — Amir Aryafar — began walking toward the rear of the vehicle, deputies explained.
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Investigators said the footage then shows Darnold getting out of the car to punch Aryafar, causing the victim to hit his head on the pavement. Darnold then got back into the vehicle and drove away, the affidavit states.
According to deputies, Aryafar was taken to the hospital, where it was revealed that he had received a “substantial brain injury.” The next day, Aryafar’s son reported his father had been declared brain dead, and the family soon after took him off of life support, deputies added.
Deputies eventually found Darnold, who told them that Aryafar had been harassing him for drugs while he was at the store with his girlfriend, according to court records. Darnold added that he didn’t have drugs, and Aryafar cursed at him once Darnold said as much.
Darnold also told deputies that when they tried to leave in their car, Aryafar began “running after the car,” prompting Darnold to jump out and confront Aryafar, court records state.
Investigators said Darnold claimed Aryafar threw a punch at him, and Darnold responded in kind, knocking Aryafar out.
When asked whether he checked on Aryafar after hitting him, Darnold replied, “I didn’t want to wake him up and him still trying to fight me.”
“I’m guessing the guy got pretty (explicit) up because if it was a regular battery case, you wouldn’t be here,” Darnold reportedly told investigators.
When told that it wasn’t a “good situation,” Darnold said, “At least he’s still alive,” according to deputies.
On June 19, deputies received word about Aryafar’s autopsy, which showed the cause of his death stemmed from the brain injuries he suffered.
Darnold faces a charge of homicide by negligent manslaughter. He is held on no bond.
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