Florida mail carrier accused of fatally stabbing lawn care worker

TAMPA, Fla. — A mail carrier in west-central Florida is accused of fatally stabbing a lawn care worker after the two men argued over a parking position on the street last month, authorities said.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office online booking records, Mark Wade Calloway, 60, was arrested on Nov. 1 and accused of second-degree murder with a weapon. He was released on his own recognizance on Wednesday, arrest records show.

Calloway is accused of fatally stabbing Jacob Whitaker, 29, on Oct. 22 in the Tampa suburb of Lithia, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Richard Escobar, an attorney for Calloway, said the stabbing was in self-defense, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Before the stabbing, the two men had argued “over a vehicle’s parking position on the street‚” a sheriff’s office spokesperson told the newspaper.

Whitaker was found unresponsive in the roadway with several stab wounds to his upper torso, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies said the victim was stabbed several times.

“This happened over what?” a prosecutor said, according to WTVT. “Blocked mailboxes.”

“I can’t imagine the pain this senseless loss has brought to the victim’s family and loved ones. I sincerely hope this arrest provides them peace of mind and closure as they continue to grieve,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “We will not tolerate this type of senseless violence in our community.”

Escobar said that Calloway is protected by Florida’s “stand your-ground law,” the Times reported.

“At the point in time when (Whitaker) was stabbed, he was out of control,” Escobar told the newspaper. “He was an individual that was very dangerous and could have killed or seriously hurt our client. We’re sorry someone had to lose their life over this, but that’s the purpose of the stand your ground law, so you can protect yourself and it doesn’t result in your death when someone’s attacking you.”

Florida’s stand your ground law, originally passed in 2005, says a person has no duty to retreat and can use deadly force if in fear of death or great bodily harm when faced with a violent confrontation, the Times reported. The state Legislature amended the law in 2017, placing the burden on prosecutors to prove that a criminal case should proceed if a person accused of violence against someone else claims they acted in self-defense.

Prosecutors said that Calloway provoked the incident, WTVT reported.

“Mr. Calloway provoked this initiation with Mr. Whitaker, and he ends up re-engaging with Mr. Whitaker, even after he was pushed down on the ground,” prosecutors said.

Tampa Judge Samantha Ward sided with the defense.

“The contact that’s eventually made between the parties, the physical contact, is at the behest of the victim in this case,” Ward said, according to the television station.

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