Marion County man fires flare gun at deputy’s patrol car, faces multiple charges

The Brief

  • A man walking along Highway 19 early Tuesday morning fired a flare gun at a Marion County deputy.
  • The suspect, Jacob Daniel Caldwell, exhibited erratic behavior, including removing his pants and throwing money, before being subdued and arrested.
  • Caldwell, a convicted felon, faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

ORLANDO, Fla. A convicted felon was arrested early Tuesday after authorities say he fired a flare gun at a Marion County sheriff’s deputy during a bizarre encounter on Highway 19.

What we know:

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post, Deputy Mingus spotted Jacob Daniel Caldwell walking along the highway around 4:20 a.m. and stopped to check on him. That’s when Caldwell allegedly fired a flare gun directly at the deputy’s patrol vehicle.

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