Marquis Thurton, a Sanford man wanted on an active warrant, was arrested after officers responded to a residence over a report that a person with the warrant was refusing to leave, police said. The encounter led to a hospital visit and two felony charges.
According to WFTV, Sanford police officers responded to the scene at approximately 5:45 p.m. on September 13, where they encountered Thurton, who was wanted on an active warrant. Officers say Thurton attempted to evade arrest, and in doing so, appeared to believe he could fly away from them, per the Sanford Police Department’s account relayed to the station. The attempt did not go as Thurton apparently hoped, and he ended up being transported to a hospital for medical treatment before he was formally arrested on the outstanding warrant.
The physical struggle during the arrest has resulted in serious legal consequences. Thurton now faces charges of resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer, the outlet’s report notes, both of which are third-degree felonies under Florida law.
What the Charges Could Mean Behind Bars
Each of the two charges carries significant weight on its own. Resisting an officer with violence under Florida Statute 843.01 carries maximum penalties of up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and a $5,000 fine, according to Hussein & Webber, PL. Separately, battery on a law enforcement officer under Florida Statute 784.07 reclassifies what would normally be a misdemeanor into its own third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine, per Hanlon Law…