SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A Normal Heights man is detailing an encounter with a homeless man that left him with serious injuries.
“I’ve got a fracture in the cheek, and in the nasal cavity,” said Casey Gardner, 35.
Four days later, the painful reminders remain of a walk in his Normal Heights neighborhood turned violent.
Monday morning, just before 7 a.m. Gardner was on a walk after leaving the gym. Along Adams Avenue near 35th, he found himself behind a homeless man, a lanky man, possibly in his late 20s.
Gardner says he saw the homeless man toss a bottle of water into a planter. He says the homeless man turned around and caught him staring at the water bottle.
“He said, ‘Mind you own **** business. I said, ‘I didn’t say anything,’” said Gardner. “He says you’re looking like you’re saying something.”
The conversation lasted a few more moments.
“He started coming over to me. He says, ‘I’m going to throw it away.’ I said, ‘Yeah, ok.’ He says, ‘You need to learn to mind you own **** business and immediately pops me in the head,’” said Gardner.
The punch broke two bones in Gardner's face.
“My butt hits the floor. The back of my head hits the concrete. I go back up and wipe, and just see blood all over,” said Gardner. “He’s rounding the corner, and he’s nodding, ‘Like yeah, that’s what’s up.’”
Gardner, who has a large welt on his head, has been dealing with constant headaches and pressure in his face.
He filed a police report, but his attacker has not been tracked down.
The assault on Gardner is the latest example of violent incidents involving the homeless.
In July, ABC 10News reported on an assault captured on video in the East Village. A homeless man was recorded punching a woman as she was on her way to pick up a pizza. She suffered a herniated disc.
At the time, police detailed a growing trend in violent incidents, including at least so-called ‘hot call’ every day, usually occurring between homeless peers.
That wasn't the case in the attack on Gardner.
“This type of violence has no place anywhere. It was me this time. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said Gardner.
If you have any information on the case, you are asked to call San Diego Police at 619-531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at 888- 580-8477,
