Two Gainesville men were arrested Friday afternoon after they beat a former co-worker and cut him with a machete, Gainesville Police said.
Max Phenky Francois, 23, and Enodiral Andre, 22, confronted the man about an argument the three got into several months ago at about 6:16 p.m. Thursday near The Pavillion on 62nd apartments, located at 1000 SW 62nd Blvd., according to an arrest report.
The man told police Andre slapped his iPhone out of his hand and swung a black machete at him, according to the report. The victim sustained multiple cuts on his left arm, and police said Francois took the man’s phone.
Before Andre and Francois left, Andre accidentally dropped his phone, and the victim took it, according to the report.
Andre approached the victim minutes later and demanded he give him the phone back. He bit him on his right wrist when the victim refused, according to the report.
Six witnesses told police they saw Andre and Francois beat the man. Francois told detectives he had tried to break up a fight between Andre and the victim and denied a machete was used, according to the report.
Police located a black machete in Andre’s wife’s car. The two were arrested on charges of robbery and aggravated battery. They were taken to the Alachua County Jail, where they remain, as of press time.
Francois is being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Andre’s is $160,000.
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