Love gone savage as Florida men settle score with hatchet and machete outside Publix

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA: A dispute involving a woman allegedly erupted into a violent confrontation between two Florida men in a Publix parking lot, where police say one man arrived with a machete and the other grabbed a hatchet.

Everette Krichbaum and James Gay were both arrested following the Tuesday, August 4, clash in Panama City and charged with aggravated battery. 

Both men were injured and taken to a hospital before being booked into jail.

Love triangle turns violent

Police reportedly told media outlets that what started as a tense exchange quickly spiraled into violence.

According to investigators, Everette Krichbaum was sitting in his car when James Gay approached him, and the two began arguing.

Officers later identified Gay as the primary aggressor in the confrontation.

At some point, the dispute escalated sharply. Authorities say Gay walked back to his vehicle, returned with a sheathed machete, and allegedly struck Krichbaum in the face.

The situation then turned even more chaotic, with Gay telling police that Krichbaum responded by swinging a hatchet during the clash.

The aftermath reflected just how intense the encounter became.

Krichbaum told officers he was hit in the head with the machete and briefly lost consciousness. Both men were taken to the hospital for treatment following the incident.

Investigators say the conflict stemmed from a complicated relationship involving a woman.

Stephanie Marshall, who identified herself as Krichbaum's current girlfriend, spoke to Fox News and described Gay as her former partner and Krichbaum as someone she had been dating for some time now.

She was also listed as a witness in the police report.

Suspect's old record raises eyebrows

James Gay was taken into custody on August 4 and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Everette Krichbaum was arrested a day later after being released from the hospital and is facing a charge of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability.

The case also brings renewed attention to Gay’s past.

Court records show he was previously convicted in a violent case tied to the 2011 death of a 16-year-old near Panama City.

Prosecutors said Gay used a chain wrapped around his hand during that attack, which resulted in a fatal skull fracture.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2012 and was released early in June 2024, according to state corrections records.