It took six Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputies and a K-9 to place a Gainesville man in handcuffs after he fled into the woods Tuesday.
Samuel Cox, 30, was charged with two counts of battery on an officer, carjacking, resisting with violence, striking a police K-9 and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.
On Tuesday around 6:30 p.m., ASCO deputies responded to a carjacking at 15464 SW State Road 45, according to the arrest report. The victim said Cox went up to his work car and opened the driver’s door while he was still in the seat.
Cox and the victim fought for control of the door before the victim slammed it shut on Cox’s hand, according to the report. Cox fled south on State Road 45.
Cox went into a home at 15614 SW State Road 45 and fled out the back door into the woods, according to a report. Police talked to a witness on the next driveway, who pointed out the last spot Cox was seen.
K-9 deputies then began tracking Cox, according to the report.
When trying to find Cox, deputies passed a roughly 6-foot rattlesnake that tried to bite K-9 Knight, but missed, said ACSO spokesman Brett Rhodenizer. The deputies shot the rattlesnake and continued with the search.
When Cox was found, he fought ACSO deputies as they tried to arrest him, according to the report. During the fight, Cox refused their requests to stop resisting and was bitten by K-9 Knight.
During this struggle, Cox bit a K-9 deputy on the elbow, breaking the skin and drawing blood, Rhodenizer said. Cox also hit another deputy and Knight.
Other deputies arrived to help the K-9 officers, according to the report. It took six deputies to place Cox in handcuffs. When he was in handcuffs, less than 20 grams of marijuana was found on the ground beneath him.
Cox remains in Alachua County Jail in lieu of a $111,000 bail.
Follow Devoun Cetoute on Twitter @devoun_cetoute and contact him at dcetoute@alligator.org.
