A former deputy fired an accidental shot Tuesday evening after a Keystone Heights man tried to steal his lawn mower.
Officers charged William Brislan Melcolm, 46, with aggravated assault, theft and burglary, according to an arrest report.
At about 3 p.m., retired Alachua County Sheriff's Office Deputy David Ryan Cox saw Melcolm taking his lawn mower, valued at $300, out of a covered parking area and putting it in the bed of Melcom’s truck, according to the report.
Cox walked into the street to confront Melcolm, who accelerated his car at Cox, according to the report. Cox jumped out of the way and lost his balance, accidentally firing a gun he had. The shot hit the tailgate of Melcolm’s truck, according to an email from Gainesville Police Department Spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.
Two witnesses saw Melcolm driving away, and one identified Melcolm as the man Cox described, according to the report.
During an interview with police, Melcolm admitted to the attempted theft. He also told police he was unemployed and needed money and food. He said he accelerated because he panicked, according to the report.
Officers booked Melcom into the Alachua County Jail at about 7:30 p.m., where he remained Tuesday night with a $40,000 bond.
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/11/2013 under the headline "Retired ASO deputy gets fired up about $300 lawn mower"
