A performer in The Villages discovered herself in a real-life drama after a big altercation at RJ Gator’s and a subsequent meltdown at the county jail.
Diane Capasso, 68, of the Village of Piedmont, was arrested Friday on multiple felony violence charges after a two-act scuffle that ended with her tossing artificial eyelashes at a prison officer.
The drama began at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 3, at RJ Gator’s in Lake Sumter Landing. Deputies responded to a violent disturbance in which Capasso, who starred in the 2024 production of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” initially claimed to be the victim. She told police that she had “ongoing issues” with another lady and that a male had approached her unexpectedly, grabbed her by the neck, and shoved her against a wall before the two began mocking her.
However, video surveillance and eyewitness testimony swiftly changed the narrative.
According to the arrest report, Capasso approached the female victim at random and struck her in the face with an open palm before slapping her arm. The male victim got up to stop the brawl, trapping Capasso against a wall to defend the woman.
After the parties were split, the two victims entered the restaurant. Capasso returned for an encore, following them inside, slapping the man and attempting to grab him before walking away.
The female victim experienced redness and bruises on her arm and shoulder, but the male victim had swelling under his eye and a damaged thumb. When questioned, Capasso reportedly told deputies that it “was not wrong” for her to touch the woman, but that it was wrong for the man to do the same. She was identified as the principal aggressor and arrested.
Act two began around 6:24 p.m., when Capasso arrived at the Sumter County Detention Center.
According to a second arrest report, Capasso became enraged as she was led out of the patrol car. She began kicking the vehicle and, while still handcuffed behind her back, grabbed a female correctional officer’s midriff and refused to let go. The officer was compelled to bring Capasso to the ground and summon backup forces.
Once inside the intake room for a pat-down, the correctional officer noticed Capasso’s artificial eyelashes hanging off her face and informed the performer that she was going to remove them. Instead, Capasso took out her eyelashes and threw them at the officer, injuring her in the torso.
Capasso was charged with two felony counts of battery on a person 65 years or older and one felony offense of battery on a law enforcement officer. She was released after paying a $1,500 bond.
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