Lithia Man Stabs Officer In Neck During Mental Health Call: Video

LITHIA, FL — A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy was stabbed in the neck on Sunday by a 21-year-old man who grew agitated when told he was going to be evaluated for mental health treatment, authorities said. (The video provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is at the bottom of this article.)

Officer Charles Williams assisted a Gracepoint Mental Health Clinic staff member with the involuntary mental health evaluation of Nicholas Furgason at 12:43 p.m at a home in the Fish Hawk neighborhood of Lithia.

Furgason ran from the home onto a trail after he found out he would be admitted to Gracepoint by the Florida Baker Act, police said.

Williams chased after Furgason, who eventually stopped running on the trail, investigators said.

The video shows Williams talking to Furgason, telling him that he was not in trouble and that he needed to go with the officer.

When Williams tried to take Furgason's right arm to detain him, the video shows Furgason stabbed the officer in the neck, and then run away. Williams was unaware that the suspect had a knife.

For 100 yards, the officer chased Furgason, who ignored Williams' commands to stop, and used a taser to subdue Furgason, investigators said.

The Hillsborough County Office said Furgason was arrested and faces these charges:

• Attempted felony murder of a law enforcement officer
• Resisting an officer with violence
• Resisting an officer without violence

"This is a prime example of the dangers deputies face while trying to serve and protect our community every day," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a news release. "Deputy Williams used an incredible amount of restraint by deploying less-lethal force on an individual who attempted to take his life. We are grateful that Deputy Williams was not more seriously injured and will make a full recovery, however, that does not make this incident any less severe. We will see to it that this individual is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his actions."

Williams was taken to a local hospital and was released on Monday morning, said the sheriff.