Elderly man charged with aggravated battery
Floridan Staff Writer
Published: April 10, 2009
A father and son in Sneads apparently got so angry about a utility service disconnection their alleged actions on Tuesday resulted in multiple charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.
Charles Russ, 71, of 5106 Eighth St., Malone, has been charged with resisting arrest without violence, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a motor vehicle, and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday.
His son, Tony Michael Russ, could face charges of resisting an officer with violence and assault on a law enforcement officer as authorities seek a warrant for his arrest, Sheriff Lou Roberts confirmed.
Roberts said the officer involved was not injured in the incident.
According to Roberts, the incident began when employees with Florida Public Utilities requested protective assistance to disconnect the power from the residence where Tony Russ resides. Roberts said the disconnection was a result of nonpayment.
When a deputy arrived to assist the power company, Tony Russ began to curse and yell at the employees. And when the deputy asked Tony Russ to return to his home, Russ threatened to shoot him with an AK-47, an incident report from the sheriff’s office said.
The report said Tony Russ then went into his home, making additional threats to shoot the deputy.
“The deputy, fearing imminent danger, ordered Russ into the open with empty hands so the incident could be stopped. Instead, Russ retreated into the house, which created what appeared to be a barricaded individual with a high powered rifle,” the report said.
Before additional law enforcement responded to the scene, Charles Russ arrived, said Roberts.
“Charles may have heard the call over the scanner. He showed up at the location where FPU staff was disconnecting the line off the side of the road,” Roberts said. “Despite what was going on, he did not adhere to the officer’s directions to leave the area, as the officer was standing there trying to deal with the guy in the house.”
At some point in the verbal confrontation, Roberts said, Charles Russ reached down beside his seat in his vehicle, leading the officer to think he was reaching for a weapon.
“At that point the officer tried to prevent him from placing his hand down in the area around the seat, and Charles put his vehicle in drive, almost dragging the officer,” Roberts said. “He caused a great potential for harm to that officer.”
Officers were unable to take Tony Russ into custody during the incident, Roberts said. A search of the house revealed that he left through a rear window.
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Reader Reactions
Hey cop, I, dont cuss regularly, BUT, Jeff, I, will make a point, not only to cuss when i want to, BUT, “I,“ will cuss YOU directly!! You have ‘ZERO’ authority where I live so, say something to me about my cussing!
He was not cursing in public, he was in his own yard. I cuss in my own yard. I cuss in public too except for around kids. This country claims to be free and have freedom of speech BLAH BLAH BLAH. We can only say what we want to a certain extent. Now you want to make a law against cursing in public. It’s people like you that make me want to vomit when I see them each day. Let the courts sort it out…I say if you’re scared leave the area! I sincerely hope you are a woman, because if you are a man, you sound like a petunia. Go grow some.
HEY DRMACARTHUR, there is NOT a law against cussing on your OWN property!! If the pooooooooooblic dont like ‘MY’ cussing, among other things, STAY OFF MY PROPERTY!!!!
Man to shoot me with a AK-47?
Plan A: Just say “That is OK” and leave the area, as there is no real threat.
Plan B: Let the courts sort it out.
I think I will ... go with plan B.
P.S. Is there not a law against cursing in public? Should be.
First of all, the first sentence is incorrect. It’s not Sneads, it‘s Malone. It even says it in the second sentence/paragraph. And aggravated battery? A felony? The article says that Tony “threatened to shoot him with an AK-47” but they never saw it. He didn’t use it. How is that use of a deadly weapon? They know that the Russ’ have tempers and say things like that but it has never went that far. Deputies, cops, whatever, just make things worse for people like them (who is also people like me.) They get a rush from the feeling of “power” over them and, like most of JCO, enjoy the drama that incidents like these bring. I am luckily one of the much calmer ones who has voluntary went through a lot of therapy to learn to control what most of my family doesn’t. People who do not know I’m related to them wouldn’t guess. However, I am, and I feel strong amounts of resentment when I read and hear things like this about my family because I’ve seen and lived this my entire life and I know they are not as dangerous as these LEOs make it sound. I LOVE Sneads and 98% of who reside in it, but JCLO makes me nauseous (with the exception of a few.) They should try to stop breaking God’s and their own laws before accusing people of aggravated battery when they don’t even have sufficient evidence that he was in possession of a weapon. The officer just kept “thinking” that they had a weapon…okay. I feel bad for CR but I’m happy that Tony got away =) I hope wherever he is now he doesn’t come back to this place.
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