Man says he’s shot — turns machete on responders

Public Information Officer Debra Johnson told local St. Johns County reporters with Historic City News that deputies in Flagler County have arrested a Daytona North man who called to report that he had been shot in the head.

25 year-old Rafael Rodriguez, who lives on Guava Lane, called the Sheriff’s Office around 9:56 p.m. last night saying that he had been shot in the head. Deputies along with medical personnel arrived at the Guava Lane home, but Rodriguez refused medical treatment. Deputies reported the man had a two-inch cut on his head, but they were unable to determine if it was the result of a gunshot.

Rodriguez was highly intoxicated and a language barrier made it difficult for deputies to investigate what had happened, according to the report. He also became uncooperative with the deputies. Deputies finally were able to determine that an incident had occurred about four hours earlier at another residence, involving a vehicle registered to Rodriguez’s wife.

Rodriguez told deputies he had argued with two men over the vehicle which was later located at a home on Canal Avenue in Daytona North. Several people at the residence said Rodriguez had been drinking with them earlier in the day, but denied any knowledge about the man being shot. At about the same time, deputies received a call about a man throwing a Molotov cocktail into the roadway on Mahogany Boulevard.

The man turned out to be Rodriguez who fled the scene, returning to his home on Guava Lane.

When deputies arrived, Rodriguez came out of the house and approached the deputies armed with an 18-inch machete. Deputies ordered him, in Spanish, to drop the weapon, but Rodriguez continued come towards them. Deputies deployed a Taser and Rodriguez fell to the ground where he was taken into custody.

“This man was fortunate that he was not seriously injured as a result of his actions. Alcohol and weapons are never a wise mixture,” said Flagler County Sheriff Donald W. Fleming.

Rodriguez was transported to Florida Hospital Flagler where he refused medical attention and then to the Flagler County Inmate Facility. He was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.

He is being detained at the inmate facility after U.S. Immigration and Customs placed a hold on him.

Anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at (386) 313-4911 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).