Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies used a Taser on a Newberry man early Wednesday after deputies said he refused to leave a Waffle House.
Thomas Esli Thompson, 59, was arrested on charges of trespassing and resisting an officer, according to an arrest report.
At about 3:50 a.m., Thompson walked into the Waffle House at 7611 W. Newberry Road and asked for a cup of water. Thompson mentioned to an employee that he wasn’t leaving the restaurant until the bus line began running again, according to the report.
The employee told Thompson he could not stay that long and asked him to leave several times. She then called the police.
A deputy arrived and told Thompson he would be arrested if he didn’t leave. Thompson refused, according to the report.
The deputy told Thompson he was under arrest. Thompson responded by shoving his right hand in his pocket and telling the officer “You don’t know what I got!”
The deputy drew his gun and told Thompson to take his hand out of his pocket. Thompson refused, and the deputy told Thompson if he continued to resist he would use a Taser, to which Thompson replied, “Tase!” The deputy then deployed his Taser twice and was able to place Thompson in handcuffs.
Thompson was booked in jail at about 5 a.m. Wednesday, where he remained in lieu of a $5,000 bond.
A version of this story ran on page 5 on 1/9/2014 under the headline "Stubborn Waffle House visitor Tased"
