Lakeland Man Tasered Just Before He Could Hit Officer: Sheriff

LAKELAND, FL — A 50-year-old Lakeland man was arrested Thursday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after police accused him of threatening to hurt his friend with a baseball bat, and attempting to hit a deputy with the bat, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Andrew Scott got into an argument Thursday evening with a friend of his who was allowing him to stay at his house until he was able to become financially stable after being released from jail Wednesday, according to detectives. The victim told deputies that just before 8 p.m., he and Scott got into an argument about drugs. During the fight, Scott took a baseball bat and threatened to hurt the victim with it. He also said officers would be made to shoot him when they arrived, police said.

When authorities told Scott to drop the bat, he refused. Instead, he turned toward the deputies and lifted the bat. Just before he swung it down on the officers, he was tasered by an officer. He was then arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting without violence and violation of probation.

“I am proud of the quick response of my deputies," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "They were able to end a deadly situation without anyone getting hurt. This is just one example of many where deputies respond to a violent situation and disarm a violent suspect in order to keep people safe.”

Scott had served a 30-day jail sentence on drug charges, and was released June 23, according to law enforcement officials.