PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Haleigh Cummings’ father crashed a car with a bottle of liquor in his lap, tried to grab a deputy’s gun and was found with multiple drugs in his possession, according to an arrest report from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
Ronald Cummings, who was just released from prison in October after serving 12 years on drug charges, was arrested early Christmas Day.
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Haleigh disappeared in February 2009 from her home in Satsuma. Ronald Cummings has never been charged in his daughter’s disappearance.
After this latest arrest, Cummings, 39, is now facing the following charges:
- Resisting an officer with violence
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Deprive of means of protection or communication
- Controlled substance without prescription
- Drug equipment possession
- Marijuana possession not more than 20 grams
- Trafficking oxycodone 7 grams or more
Deputies and fire rescue crews responded to the single-car crash and fire, which happened late Saturday night at Sisco Road and Olivia Lane in Pomona Park.
Read: ‘We do not forget:’ 13 years since Haleigh Cummings’ disappearance in Putnam County
According to the arrest report, Cummings was found in the driver’s seat “and a full glass bottle of Hennessy liquor” was sitting in his lap.
The car was still running and in drive. Cummings “appeared to be sleeping or unconscious,” the report said.
A deputy tried waking Cummings up and “he began making moaning noises and slurred statements,” the report detailed.
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Cummings began to get out of the car and “he appeared to be severely intoxicated,” the report said.
The deputy said Cummings then tried to sit down again in the driver’s seat and start the car. The report said the deputy told Cummings three times to stop trying to start the car and Cummings responded, “(Expletive) you,” the report said.
The deputy pulled Cummings out of the car so he wouldn’t be able to drive away, the report said, and Cummings pushed the deputy in the chest and told the deputy to leave him alone several times.
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As the deputy went to put Cummings’ left arm behind his back, Cummings put one of his hands on the deputy’s Glock 17 and “began pulling it in an upright manner,” the report said.
The deputy put their hand on the gun to block Cummings from being able to grab it, and while trying to take Cummings into custody, Cummings knocked the deputy’s radio to the ground, the report said.
Eventually, the deputy was able to take Cummings into custody with an “armbar takedown” with the assistance of fire rescue personnel, PCSO said.
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Cummings began “rapping” to the deputy, saying “You think I’m scared of prison,” the report said.
In Cummings’ vehicle, the report said “a clear plastic baggie of raw marijuana” weighing 10 grams was found. Oxycodone was found in Cummings’ pockets in the form of a pressed white pill and a “white rock-like substance.”
Cummings said he was willing to provide a breath sample, but the PCSO’s Intoxilyzer 8000 was “out of date of compliance,” so a DUI investigation could not be performed.
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After appearing in court Monday morning, Cummings was granted a $185,000 bond.
Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach issued the following statement about Cummings’ arrest:
“Despite being given a clean slate after serving his time in prison, Ronald has returned to his old ways and is a menace to our community. He not only put lives in danger with his actions, he also attempted to endanger our deputy and medical personnel coming to assist him after he chose to drive while under the influence. Some people do not take the second chances they’ve been given to change their lives and his actions reflect this. I hope we can move swiftly to put him back in prison.”
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