An Ocklawaha man was arrested after putting a sheriff’s office K-9 in a chokehold to avoid being arrested for attacking his parents.
Deputies were called to an undisclosed camper when 34-year-old Troy Thomas Clinton attacked his 67-year-old stepfather around 6:10 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. His mother, who was preparing to clean the stepfather’s feeding tube from his throat cancer, saw the commotion and fought to separate the two.
He pushed his stepfather and mother multiples times during the altercation, leaving them with cuts and bruises on their arms before leaving the area. Seeing this, law enforcement told the couple to call back if Clinton returned. Indeed, dispatch got another call from them around 12:55 a.m. Tuesday, advising he was back at the residence, the report said.
Upon arrival, deputies were told Clinton had left about five minutes before they got there. The deputies used a K-9 to track him behind 18925 SE 106th Pl., Ocklawaha. Clinton was non-compliant and aggressive toward deputies, so they deployed K-9 Kato to assist in his apprehension, the report said.
But he put K-9 Kato in a chokehold to avoid being bitten, and it took three deputies to get him off. From there, he continued to be verbally aggressive and non-compliant. He even refused to stand, forcing the deputies to get him up and walk him to the road, the report said.
The deputies proceeded to search him for weapons, during which he slammed his head into the side of a patrol car four times. He struck the window on the back passenger side twice but did not break the glass. The other two times, he left large and small dents estimated to be $500 in damage. They repeatedly told him not to hit his head, and attempts were made to prevent him from doing so, the report said.
Clinton instead continued to slam his head around while being moved to the backseat of a patrol vehicle. He hit the plexiglass barrier inside the car and had to be physically restrained to prevent further injury. Medics subsequently took him to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, located at 1431 SE First Ave., Ocala, to be medically cleared. He sustained a small abrasion on his left eye lid and swelling from slamming his head, the report said.
He said several times that he “did not try to hurt that dog.” He just did not want to get hurt, so he “hugged” the dog. He apologized for damaging the patrol car and knew he had to pay for that but believed he did not deserve to be charged for K-9 Kato, the report said.
Clinton was ultimately charged with domestic battery on person 65 years of age or older, domestic battery (second or subsequent offense), resisting without violence, battery on a police dog and criminal mischief. He was transported to Marion County Jail to be held without bond.