A Leesburg man was arrested after spitting on his 85-year-old father-in-law and breaking out of handcuffs twice, forcing officers to tase him.
Officers responded to a disturbance at an undisclosed Leesburg residence around 8:40 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised that the caller stated 55-year-old Thomas Richard Chadwick was inside the residence arguing with him.
Upon arrival, the officers could hear the victim and Chadwick arguing as they approached the residence. One of them instructed Chadwick to exit the residence to de-escalate the situation. Chadwick listened to these instructions and started to leave the residence, the report said.
As he walked past the victim, Chadwick started screaming at him and balled up his fist, moving toward him and punching the front door. The victim, who was sitting in a wheelchair, was about six feet away from Chadwick. After punching the door, Chadwick leaned his head back and spat at the victim, sticking him on his shirt, the report said.
An officer advised Chadwick to put his hands behind his back as a result of the criminal offense happening in the presence of law enforcement, the report said. Chadwick told the officers he would not be placing his hands behind his back and said, “Touch me and see what happens.”
The officers continued to command Chadwick to place his hands behind his back, but he continued to refuse. They tried to hold his hand to place him in custody, and Chadwick, using his weight, pushed off from the officers and pulled his hands away. He placed his hand near his chest and tensed the muscle in his hand in an attempt to obstruct the officers from placing him in custody, the report said.
Chadwick also used his weight to push against the officers. He continued to fight with officers and had to be dry stunned by a taser on his left upper leg. The officers were then able to gain control of Chadwick, but he broke through the handcuffs twice, the report said.
On the third time, Chadwick was finally put in custody. One of the officers sustained a minor laceration on his right hand and a scrape on his left hand during the incident, the report said.
EMS was summoned to the scene to clear Chadwick for the taser being used. He refused to answer questions asked by EMS and refused to go to the hospital, the report said.
The victim advised that Chadwick was angry at his wife and was arguing with her. He had spit on the victim before officers had arrested him. Additionally, Chadwick was married to his daughter and lived at the residence with him as a family, making the incident domestic. The victim was about 85 years old and needed to use a wheelchair to get around, the report said.
Chadwick was subsequently taken to Lake County Jail. While being processed, he stated that he tried to break his wrist while fighting with officer in an attempt to slip out of the handcuffs. Due to this statement, he was taken to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E. Dixie Ave., where he was medically cleared before being returned to jail, the report said.
Chadwick was charged with simple battery (domestic – victim 65 years of age or older) and resisting (obstructing without violence). He was released from jail after posting $10,000.