[IMAGE CREDIT: Lake County Sheriffs Office]
[Original Publish Date: 01/21/20]
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EUSTIS, Florida — A Tavares man who was carrying drugs shoplifted, tried to fight police and hit a loss prevention officer in the head with a red and white can of roach spray Friday before finally being stopped by a Taser, according to an arrest affidavit.
Shortly after 12:15 p.m., Eustis Police responded to a call of a shoplifting in progress at Beall’s Outlet, 100 Ardice Avenue, Eustis and saw Nathaniel Elijah Fountain, 48, attempting to leave the store and turn around and go back in as he saw the arresting officer approach, the affidavit states. Police confronted him about the theft and he became agitated and said he paid for the merchandise, the officer noted in the affidavit. The store’s loss prevention officer told police Fountain had taken several articles of clothing and shoved them down his pants.
Fountain tried to run out of the store while speaking with police, and dropped a pair of bolt cutters and a convenience store bag containing underwear and headphones. The arresting officer and the loss prevention officer attempted to take Fountain into custody and he tried to throw them off of him, the affidavit states. Fountain then struck the loss prevention officer in the head with a red and white can of roach spray with an edged bottom, causing a laceration to the loss prevention officer’s head.
Fountain continued to fight while another Eustis Police officer responded to help. Fountain was warned to stop fighting and when he failed to comply, he was shocked by the assisting officer’s Taser. He was taken into custody and upon searching him, police found jeans and shorts stolen from the store, in addition to Fentanyl and crack cocaine in his jacket pocket.
Fountain was charged with possession of Fentanyl, possession of cocaine, battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, resisting a merchant, resisting arrest without violence and two counts of retail theft. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on $27,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
