Bible thumping: Florida man accused of throwing holy book at deputy

Suspect claims God told him to break into neighbor’s home

Robert Hoskins (Marion County Sheriff's Office)

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A man who’d just broken into his neighbor’s home because he claimed God told him to throw a Bible at a deputy who responded to the scene, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the victim called them on Sept. 22 because he returned to his home in Summerfield after being gone for about an hour and found that his door had been kicked in.

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The man’s neighbor, 39-year-old Robert Hoskins, told him, “I (expletive) up man, I was mad," records show.

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Hoskins had asked the victim to borrow clothes and when the man declined, he waited until he left and kicked down the door, according to the affidavit.

Deputies said as they arrived at the scene, Hoskins approached them while only wearing underwear, yelled something along the lines of “I condemn you” and threw a Bible, hitting a deputy in the face.

After that, records show Hoskins was hit with a Taser so that he could be subdued and handcuffed.

The victim’s wife said about $50 worth of clothing was stolen and noted that there was damage to the door, a mattress had been placed on its side and a window had been broken, leaving shattered glass all over the floor, according to the report.

After he was handcuffed, Hoskins defecated himself then asked to speak with a deputy, but if other deputies came over to speak with him he would stare blankly and not answer questions, authorities said.

That deputy wrote that Hoskins said he broke into his neighbor’s home “because God told me to” and said he “freed her,” referring to the victim’s juvenile daughter.

Hoskins faces charges of burglary to an unoccupied dwelling, petit theft, criminal mischief - property damage, battery on an officer and resisting an officer without violence.

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