2 arrested in beating of Lake County man

Two Marion County teenagers have been arrested in the beating death of a man in The Villages last weekend.

Lady Lake Police say it was last Sunday, when four young men were seen driving by McCall's Tavern on Alvarez Avenue in the Spanish Springs Town Square, yelling harassing comments to patrons.  One of the victims of the harassment was the girlfriend of 26-year-old Austin Stevens.  Steven worked as a bartender at the tavern, according to authorities. 

In a police report, it states that Stevens confronted the men and a fight ensued.  Investigators said 19-year-old Brice Hall threw a running punch to the side of Stevens' face, fracturing bones and knocking him unconscious.      According to an arrest affidavit, that's when 18-year-old Nicholas Metcalfe kicked Stevens in the face.

Stevens was first taken to Villages Regional Medical Center, but then he was moved to Ocala Regional Medical Center, once the severity of his injuries was determined.  He later died from bleeding on the brain.

Police arrested Hall, of Weirsdale, and Metcalfe, of Belleview, on Friday and the two are now behind bars.

Friends of the victim say they are holding a candlelight vigil in the Spanish Springs Town Square on Sunday evening.