Inset: Michael Besozzi II (Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney). The home in Weirton, W. Va., where prosecutors say Michael Besozzi caused his landlord to fall off scaffolding following a dispute over loud music (Google Maps).
A West Virginia man confronted his landlord for "playing loud music" and "singing while putting up siding," then shook and pushed the scaffolding he was on — causing him to fall and suffer serious injuries after the landlord "blew a kiss" at him, prosecutors say.
Michael Besozzi II, 36, was sentenced to serve one to five years in prison for the April 2024 incident in Weirton after entering an Alford plea, the Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney's office announced Saturday.
A criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime on Monday describes how Besozzi's landlord suffered a separated shoulder and torn rotator cuff from the fall.
Besozzi was charged with unlawful assault and in August accepted an Alford plea, which is not an admission of guilt but a concession that the prosecution has enough evidence for a conviction at trial.
"Mr. Besozzi stated that Mr. Barger, his landlord, was outside playing loud music and singing while putting up siding," the complaint says. "Mr. Besozzi then stated that he went outside and told [the landlord] to keep it down. After telling [the landlord] to keep it down, [the landlord] blew a kiss at Mr. Besozzi."
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Besozzi told police that he initially went back inside the residence before coming back out to confront the landlord again. "Mr. Besozzi grabbed the scaffolding in a stern manner and yelled, 'Keep it down,'" according to the complaint. "Mr. Besozzi stated that he did not shake the scaffolding."
Police spoke to the landlord at the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries, and were told that Besozzi "started pushing his scaffolding and that he fell to the ground," according to the complaint. Officers responded that Saturday to the home at 245 Elmer Avenue in Weirton and found the landlord being treated by EMTs.
Besozzi was arrested and initially charged with misdemeanor assault. His charge was later upgraded to felony malicious or unlawful assault following a court appearance.