Allegedly threatened deputy after attempted break-in
A Florida man was arrested and charged after he allegedly attempted to break into a house with a knife and then threatened a deputy.
Sheldon Uzochukwu, 23, of Casselberry, Fla., is charged with burglary and terroristic threats by the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Deputy Al Kisner said additional charges, including some for domestic violence, destruction of property and battery on an officer are coming.
Deputies were dispatched to Sellaro Drive for a disturbance at 1:47 p.m. Saturday. As reported by 911, the suspect was wanted for extradition and wielding a knife, according to a criminal complaint.
Kisner said Uzochukwu is not wanted for extradition but does have arrest warrants in Florida.
While Deputy L. Kuretza was approaching the home, a state trooper in front of him saw Uzochukwu first and said he had a machete, the criminal complaint said. Kuretza drew his weapon and told Uzochukwu to drop his.
Kuretza wrote Uzochukwu was acting “completely unhinged and in a rage, began yelling that he would kill me.”
A third-party closed the distance with Uzochukwu in an attempt to restrain him but he broke away and threw what Kuretza thought was a machete — later determined to be “a dark piece of wood shaped like a blade” — at the deputy.
With Uzochukwu disarmed, Kuretza holstered his gun, closed the distance and pinned Uzochukwu to the ground as he continued to resist and threaten to kill the deputy, according to the complaint. It took multiple officers to handcuff Uzochukwu.
After being searched and while being escorted to Kuretza’s cruiser, Uzochukwu spit on Kuretza and continued to make threats, the complaint said. Once in the cruiser, he unbuckled his seatbelt and kicked the bars and window.
When Kuretza opened the door, Uzochukwu made an aggressive move and had to be sprayed with OC, the complaint said. He was later decontaminated by EMS.
Kisner said Kuretza was not injured.
Because of his “continual combative nature” Uzochukwu was unable to be fingerprinted, according to the complaint.
Other deputies on Sellaro Drive investigated the cause of the incident and found Uzochukwu attempted to force his way into a house with a knife, the complaint said.
Kisner said the knife was found and is in evidence.
Uzochukwu is being held in North Central Regional Jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.
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