Navarre man convicted of aggravated battery

State Attorney Bill Eddins announced today that Timothy Donald Helton, 43, of Navarre was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm and battery by a Santa Rosa County jury.

According to a press release, Helton was arrested May 31 by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office after he got into an argument with another man at a home in Navarre. Helton struck the first victim with a homemade weapon and left the residence. He then returned with a friend about 10 minutes later and threw a metal pipe at a second victim. According to the report, the pipe struck the victim in the head and crushed his skull.

Doctors testified that a titanium plate had been inserted in the victim’s skull and that he will have a permanent injury from the attack. Helton will be sentenced on March 12 and because he qualifies as both a habitual felony offender and a prison release re-offender, he faces up to 60 years in prison. According to the state attorney press release, Helton can be sentenced no fewer than 30 years.