Three officers and civilian required to restrain detainee

Just after midnight this morning, Historic City News was informed that two St Johns County Sheriff’s deputies and a supervisor responded to a call for assistance at a residence on CR-204 in Hastings, where 48-year-old Billy Cullen Sapp Jr was in a rage — threatening his family, including four small children, and damaging a motor vehicle and other private property — while armed with a hammer.

Deputy Samuel Sheffield arrived at the scene and began to interview witnesses. According to the report, Sheffield heard the sound of breaking glass. He discovered Sapp emerging from a shed along the driveway where one victim’s vehicle was parked.

Sapp reportedly refused verbal commands to get on the ground, and had to be taken to the ground by force. As Sapp continued to resist and began fighting the deputy, Sheffield was able to restrain him, only after enlisting assistance from the vehicle owner. Sheffield was joined at the scene by Deputy Samuel Delucca and Corporal Shane Tolerico.

When the deputies proceeded to move Sapp to a patrol vehicle, he resisted by locking his legs and body. Sheffield reported, “Once at my vehicle, Sapp began to physically resist once more, becoming rigid, and holding himself up by the door frame when we attempted to place him in the back of my vehicle.”

It took further force, including elbow and knee strikes, and one officer inside the vehicle pulling on Sapp’s arms to get him into the back seat, the report said. After he was inside,
Sapp continued to fight — he was said to have tried to kick Deputy Sheffield, as well as head-butt and bite Deputy Delucca. When Sapp began slamming his head on the rear passenger windows, he was RIPP restrained due to his combativeness.

Sapp, who resides at 1265 CR-204 in Hastings, is accused of committing aggravated assault using a weapon, 3-counts of resisting an officer, 3-counts of battery, 4-counts of cruelty towards a child, 2-counts of criminal mischief resulting in damage to property, and 3-counts of burglary.