A Tavares man was arrested after allegedly punching a 7-Eleven employee,
An officer responded to 7-Eleven, located at 737 S 14th St., regarding a battery complaint at 4 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised that an employee reported a man, later identified as 39-year-old WHH, had punched him in the face.
Upon arrival, the officer spotted H trying to vandalize a gas pump by pressing the buttons and attempting to break the screen. The officer sought to place him in custody, and he was initially cooperative as he put both hands behind his back. One handcuff was successfully secured on his left wrist, the report said.
However, H then spun around to face the officer, prompting him to grab H’ right hand and cuff his wrist. He was handcuffed in front of his body at the point, and he pushed against the officer’s body multiple times using both hands. The officer moved behind him, placing his hands on his shirt and upper shoulder, the report said.
H, who was 6’4” and 280lbs, used his body weight to pull the officer about 8 to 10ft toward another gas pump. The officer gained control of him and put him in custody. He then spoke to the victim, the report said.
The victim advised that H came into the store and selected several items. When H stated he could not pay for the items, the victim told him to leave the store. Howes left but started pressing buttons on the pumps and hitting the screen in front of the building, the report said.
The victim went outside to tell H to stop, at which point Howes grabbed him. He threatened to call law enforcement, and H punched him on the left side of his face near his left ear. The area where he was hit became swollen. H also broke the glass on a fire extinguisher by kicking the case, which will cost about $100 to repair, the report said.
While the officer put H in the back of his patrol vehicle, he began to vomit. EMS was called to the scene and transported him to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E Dixie Ave. After being discharged from the hospital, he was taken to Lake County Jail, the report said.
At about 8:50 p.m., a deputy responded to the jail for an aggravated assault on a correctional officer, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. H was in a cell by himself but being very disruptive. He refused to calm down and dared the correctional officers to come into his cell, the report said.
A taser was then deployed on H. He would pull the taser barbs and throw them on the floor, so it was several attempts before the taser was successful. Multiple correctional officers went into the cell in an attempt to control him, the report said.
While on the floor, H grabbed a taser barb and made two attempts at stabbing a correctional officer. He was not injured. Jail video showed H trying to stab the officer in the upper top of his foot and his left knee area, the report said.
H was ultimately charged with simple battery, resisting (obstructing with violence), criminal mischief ($200 or less) and aggravated assault with weapon on detention officer. The Massachusetts native had his bond set at $11,000.
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Source: leesburg-news
