COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — A man is facing several charges after he reportedly punched a deputy and then bit a K-9 in the ear.
Donald Watts, 38, was arrested for simple battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and aggravated battery on a service dog, according to a Columbia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Deputies were called to SE Brawley Terrace in High Springs early Friday morning.
A woman told deputies that Watts had been using methamphetamine, the report said.
While deputies were there, dispatchers said they received a 911 call from someone on SE Brawley Terrace about a person being in his yard with a flashlight.
Deputies could see the flashlight intermittently and could also hear “strange noises.” They eventually found Watts, who was in a shallow creek or ditch with water, and “he was completely naked with mud covering his body,” the report said.
Watts was “pacing back and forth laughing” and making what sounded like “his attempt at bird noises,” the report said.
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He began running away and went under the porch of a mobile home. When he came out, a deputy attempted to detain him, but Watts started punching the deputy. Another deputy tried to deploy his Taser on Watts with little effect on him, the report said.
The deputy who was internally punched by Watts also deployed his Taser on Watts twice, but it had no effect on Watts and he kept running.
Before they continued to pursue Watts, the two deputies waited for backup to arrive. A K-9 deputy responded with his K-9, Casper, along with five other deputies.
They found Watts in the woods, where he “got on his hands and knees and began to growl like a dog,” the report said.
Casper was then given the command to apprehend Watts, who then “leaped, grabbed Casper by the head and bit Casper’s ear as he drove Casper to the ground,” the report said.
As Casper was being choked, he was fighting back by attempting to grab Watts any way he could. Once Casper got free, he bit Watts on the head.
As he was being brought out of the woods, Watts spit on another deputy, the report said.
Watts was taken to hospital to be treated for the dog bite and was then booked in the Columbia County Detention Facility.
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