One Gainesville dad is decidedly out of the running for any upcoming “father of the year” contests.
Police arrested Benjamin L. Dowling Sunday after he got into a physical fight with his ex-wife’s new husband.
According to the Gainesville Police Department, the problem began when Dowling, 24, showed up at his ex-wife’s new husband’s residence on Father’s Day.
He arrived to pick up his child for visitation.
Dowling was intoxicated, and his ex-wife refused to let him see their child.
She took the child and ran inside the house.
When the woman’s husband tried to get Dowling to leave, Dowling responded by punching him in the face and then tackling him to the ground.
The man managed to get away, but Dowling followed and was able to force his way into the new husband’s house to continue fighting.
Dowling refused to comment when contacted.
He was arrested on charges of battery and burglary of an occupied dwelling.
He was released from the Alachua County Jail the same day — the end of an eventful Father’s Day.
Contact Shelby Webb at swebb@alligator.org.
