The Brief

• • A Florida man is facing a felony charge after police say he threw an opened ketchup packet at a man while at a bus station.
  • Austin Simmons, 28, became irate and hurled the packet after being awoken by a man who thought he was passed out, according to a St. Petersburg Police Department arrest affidavit.
  • Simmons is facing a felony battery charge.

The backstory:

The affidavit says Austin Simmons, 28, appeared to be passed out at the bus terminal located at 3180 Central Avenue when a man checked to see if he was okay.

Police say Simmons woke up furious and walked toward the man, hurling an opened ketchup packet at him.

Courtesy: St. Petersburg Police Department

The man was left with ketchup stains on his jacket, and the affidavit says the packet was leaking onto the ground.

SPPD says Simmons told officers he was only trying to give the man a ketchup packet and denied hitting him with the packet.

Simmons is facing a felony battery charge. He is being held without bond at the Pinellas County Jail after previously being convicted of battery in 2019, according to the affidavit.

Florida man accused of throwing ketchup packet at man at St. Pete bus station: Police | FOX 7 Austin