SPRING HILL – On September 17th RNRF received numerous tips from viewers who reported an altercation at a local convenience store, between Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputies and an uncooperative motorist. RNRF could not respond to the scene, due to our coverage of a stabbing that occurred simultaneously in Brooksville.
RNRF submitted a request with officials for the entire incident report but due to privacy issues the case remained open until today.
According to reports, Deputy Chris Croft conducted a traffic stop on a black pickup truck at the Circle K, located at the intersection of Mariner Blvd and Spring Hill Drive. The license tag was expired for more than six months, which gave Croft probable cause to conduct the traffic stop.
Croft became concerned when the vehicle pulled into the parking lot and then drove around the back of the building before coming to a complete stop. The driver, 28-year-old James Matthew Williams became belligerent with Croft when he was asked to provide his identification. After initially refusing to provide his driver’s license, Williams admitted to not having a valid license, and instead, he provided Croft with a Prison identification card. Croft explained that he did not need the inmate card, so Williams handed Croft a Florida I.D.
In the passenger seat was an adult male who was trying to calm Williams down, and in the back seat were several small children.
When Croft asked Williams to exit the vehicle and walk back to his patrol car, Williams exited the vehicle in an aggressive manner and stated “I’m 6’1”” and then began to dance around. Croft attempted to place Williams in custody but he stated “don’t touch me,” pulled away, and then ran towards the front of the building. By that time Deputy Brandon Cox arrived on scene and attempted to apprehend Williams near the front of the store. Williams slipped by Deputy Cox and ran south towards Spring Hill Drive. Retired Corrections Officer, Joseph Blair noticed the commotion and joined in on attempts to grab hold of Williams. As Williams ran past the gas pumps, Deputy Croft deployed his taser, which finally brought Williams to the ground. It took the strength of all three men and a second taser deployment to subdue and secure Williams with handcuffs.
Williams and the two deputies sustained cuts and abrasions during the violent struggle but all three refused transport to a local hospital for medical treatment.
There are unconfirmed reports that Williams was under the influence of a powerful stimulant but that has not been confirmed.
Williams was transported to the Hernando County Jail, where he faces two counts of felony resisting arrest with violence and driving on a suspended license. Williams remains behind bars, held on a $10,500 bond; however, because Williams is on parole from previous conviction, he will not be eligible for bond at this time
Due to the violence that took place in front of the children, Deputy Croft contacted the Department of Children and Families and filed a report in reference to possible child endangerment. The DCF agent who reviewed the case stated that it did not meet the criteria for a DCF investigation and the case was closed.
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Black Lives Matter! As soon as he resisted he should have been shot! END OF STORY
It’s so sad to see comments like this, do you dislike all people of color….yes black lives matter just as well as all lives!!!
thank you
Preach
Really Tom. This comment should be deleted.
Lock and load. Ready citizen
That wins the internet dumb ass racist comment of the year.
When the ears set that low,you know their gonna be slow.
How low do your ears set?
What?? Doesn’t meet the criteria?? There are some seriously lax laws on the books if this passes as acceptable adult behavior. But kudos to the cops for maintaining level heads!
For a black man he’s a redneck kind of stupid.
That’sounds DCF for you in the state of FL…U•N•B•E•L•I•E•V•A•B•L•E !!!
ignorant comments…smh
Amen to that!
Tom should not allow racial comments on this site, it just intensifies issues further.
Amen to that. I agree 100%
im not for them either but toms a reporter and probably stands for freedom of speech. not everything every one says or types you have to agree with. just take note there are probably bigots in your community and move on. Theres plenty of ignorant people out there breeding teaching spreading hate unfortunately.. Its just sad, people can get out and with in a short time be in possession of drugs and kids in no time. My mom works corrections and a male has been felon in possession of a firearm almost a dozen times now and he keeps being released. Our system has deep issues and Tom is probably trying to point that out as DCF is so limited when it comes to the safety of children..
Reporting the news or not, there is no excuse for allowing racist comments. All it does is allow the ignorance of the community to be shown and make his reporting look sad.
forbid people find out there are bigots out there and ignorant people shouldnt influence how the reader correlates the article to the situation unless that person has difficulty independently thinking.
Using the facts stated in this article, the Child Abuse Hotline made the right call. The violence did not take place in front of the children. The article stated the the children were in the truck behind the store. The violence did not take place until the suspect was by the gas pumps, which are in the front of the store, away from the children. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) does not have a maltreatment that covers this type of situation. The closest would be Family Violence Threats Child, in which the violence must take place between member of the family or the household. Additionally, there was another adult in the truck who was attempting to calm the suspect down, therefore he was protective. The DCF workers in our state are already out numbered with cases were children are truly in danger and need their help. And we complain and yell when a child is hut or mistreated. Now you want to add on another case on to their load when no maltreatment occurred. To the RNRF staff, this article identifies the identity of a child abuse reporter, which is protected information by state law and should be removed.
You should read the article again because we do not reveal the identity of the DCF agent. You have that confused with reading the actual arrest affidavit, which does identify the DCF agent. Secondly, the violence began in the presence of the children, when he became belligerent with the deputy and screamed at the deputy before running from the truck.
We will have to agree to disagree on being belligerent is the same as being violent. I took it as a tone of voice or vocabulary used, not the physical action of being violent. When a person calls the Child Abuse Hotline with the intention of reporting child abuse, their name becomes protected by law. In thia case the article named the person who called, that violatwd that persons right to remain anonymous. I never said it was a DCF agent. I only read the RNRF article, not the affidavit and could have not made that mistake. I did not mean that as an attack against RNRF, simply as a caution. I enjoy RNRF and have seen the articles get attacked, and those attackers do not need any more ammunition.
The call to DCF was not from a private individual through the hotline. It was reported by the arresting officer because he felt it warranted an investigation by DCF.
Thank you for explaining and I do not take your comment as an attack, I just wanted to clarify your concerns.
Thanks again.
It does not matter if it was an arresting officer or private citizen. ANYONE who reports a case to the hotline, be it the child or adult abuse hotline, it is anonymous. This is to protect everyone! Even if a CPI, case management, manager or anyone else at DCF they are protected. The identity of the reporter is to never be released! The family or public do not have the right to know the reporter even if the case was screened-out. Law Enforcemnt isn’t allowed to know reporter when they work a case with CPI. There are reasons for that!!
I agree with previous poster there was a protective adult present and the maltreatment FVTC (family violence threatens child) does not meet this criteria.
I’m sorry but you are misinformed. When LEO provides arrest reports to the public the become “public information.” The media does not have a legal obligation to protect the identity of the person who forwarded the case to DCF. How do you think DCF cases make it to the media?
I would think DCF should be involved especially if he was under the influence. That’s child endangerment driving under the influence.
Good for you Alec, you said it much better than I ever could have. Thank you
There is nothing Racial Here! Its just the Truth! That ya’ll Can’t Handle. That’s why we are in the shape that we are in!!!!!!!!!!!!!Now go listen to Hillary’s LIES
Strange, I’m not a Clinton supporter and I see all kinds of racisim here.
Go figure that one out.
DCF is useless and they get paid that’s for starters and second he is just the typical trash that has invaded this town like roaches
DCF is ridiculous and every time they say they have fixed it, that only makes it worse. So sad for the kids.
It’s only a racist comment if a white person says it, if it’s coming from a black person it’s freedom of speech…
It is sad that Mike, Lena, and RP are so backwards, and are promoting racism. That is why the Republican party is in the state it is, no forward thinkers, still trying to live in the past,(Trump kept quoting, his plan was going to be great like Reagan’s?) racist and only worried about themselves!
Its crazy what people take from this. Is it politics? Is it racism? Is it a debate on the department of children and families? This guy acted like a mainiac in front of his kids . he probably shouldn’t have been driving. Whether due to emotional distress or intoxication by simulants. He endangered his children . period.
Tom: a lot of people who respond here don’t know how to read or very little. As for the convict, shoot-em, period.
“don’t know how to read or very little.”
“shoot-em”
Another fine example of calling the kettle black.
I know how to read Beth, and you are really stupid, every post you say shoot em, you are part of the problem. You should have lived in the wild wild west, Play nice chicky or didn’t your mother teach you that?
Hey if were white were racist and if anyone on here had that beast attacking you, you all would **** and be praying you had a gun non racist here just love being white don’t feel guilty cause your white or liaten to sissie libbies
That’s not true, the problem is when you make comments about kill him or shoot them! We shouldn’t want to see anyone hurt or killed. We’ve forgot about praying for one another!!!!
Josh…do you even know what the hell you are saying?? That was painful to read.
Take a Tylenol Mike, that should help your pain. U mm Internet bully, I declare this a Stick up for Joshua day, Of all the racist posts, shoot em, etc, u picked that one. Whatever u r stupid. All lives matter including Joshua and even you !. Go play in your sandbox and have a nice day.
Prison ID Card, That says a lot right there.
Right!
Everyone already knows ignorant biggoted people are out there. Still not a reason to allow their posts.
Using that excuse you’re saying it is ok to allow people to get on here and call other people n***ers and other such names. We know biggoted people like that exist, no excuse to allow them to post.
Please point out any post that uses that word and I will remove the post. We do our best to review posts for profanity and threats but we do not have the resources to monitor the context of a comment and censor their opinions.