Man Rigged Door Handle To Electrocute Pregnant Wife, Police Say

PALM COAST, FL — Michael Scott Wilson has been arrested after police say he tried to rig his front door handle with an electrical device to electrocute his wife.

Wilson was apprehended in Knoxville, Tennessee and is scheduled to be extradited back to Florida. The Flagler County Sheriff's office says the crime occurred at a home in Palm Coast.

According to a police report, sheriff's deputies came to the home when Wilson's father-in-law made a call. The father-in-law became concerned when Wilson insisted that a child not touch the handle on the front door of the house.

Sparks flew from the barricaded door when a deputy kicked it in, the report said.

"Based on observations made by the deputies on scene, it was apparent that the suspect rigged electrical devices to the top door lock and lower door handle in an attempt to electrocute and cause serious bodily injury or even death to whomever attempted to unlock and open the front door of the residence," the report said.

The department provided the picture above showing electrical cables connected to the door.

Police say the contraption was designed to electrocute Wilson's estranged wife, who is pregnant.

Wilson is being charged with attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and grand theft of a firearm. He's being held on a $150,000 bond and will be extradited to Florida. It's unclear if he has an attorney.

"This is one of the most bizarre domestic violence cases I have seen in my career," Sheriff Rick Staly said in a Facebook post. "Not only did this man plan to electrocute his wife, but he could have injured a deputy or any person attempting to enter this residence. Thankfully this man was found and taken into custody before he could cause the harm he intended."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Flagler County Sheriff's Office