A resident of The Villages was arrested after trying to pry a taser out of a lady deputy’s hand.
Aaron Jonathan Gonnelli, 31, who lives at 1022 Aloha Way on the Historic Side of The Villages, was spotted at about 8 p.m. Monday at Lifetime Dentistry on U.S. Hwy. 441 in Lady Lake, which has had a problem with trespassing due to its proximity to a nearby adult arcade, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy advised Gonnelli he was trespassing and asked him for identification. Gonnelli was “jittery and sweating,” despite the fact the temperature was about 50 degrees, the report said.
Gonnelli began to walk away and the deputy tasered him, however the deployment struck the back of Gonnelli’s jacket and was not effective. The deputy “drive stunned” Gonnelli’s left calf and he fell to the ground. She deployed another taser and she approached Gonnelli, but he grabbed her wrist in an aggressive manner. He tried to take the taser away from her.
Gonnelli got up and ran to the area of U.S. Hwy. 441 at Bella Cruz Drive in The Villages. Another deputy spotted Gonnelli and deployed a taser at his chest/lower abdomen, but the taser had “no effect.” A second taser was deployed.
Gonnelli was taken into custody and was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug equipment. In addition to drug charges he was arrested on charges of resisting arrest and battery. He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center on $11,000 bond.