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Charges To Be Dismissed Against Man For Allegedly Attacking Troopers At Son’s Fatal Wreck
June 12, 2014
A Molino man has entered into an agreement with the state to dismiss charges after being arrested last November on felony charges for attacking first responders and troopers at the scene of a traffic accident that claimed the life of his son.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 34-year old Joiel Wilson Edmonson of Molino lost control of his pickup truck just after 11 p.m. on November 2, 2013, on Molino Road and died as the result of his injuries.
His father, John David Edmonson, Jr. arrived on the scene a short time after the accident. Florida Highway Patrol troopers alleged he refused to follow orders of firefighters to clear the scene, pushed a trooper away, and punched another trooper in the chest before he was tased. He was arrested and charged with battery on an officer, firefighter or EMT, felony aggravated assault on officer, firefighter or EMT, felony resisting an officer with violence and a misdemeanor count of failure to obey police or fire department.
Edmonson entered no plea to the charges against him and accepted a deferred prosecution agreement. If he follows the agreement and is not arrested again, charges against him will be dismissed when he returns to court in 2015. He paid a $100 assessment for costs in the case.
In an unrelated incident on January 25, 2014, John Edmonson was charged with resisting arrest without violence at a Molino bar. Adjudication was withheld in the case, and Edmonson was assessed $350 in fines and costs.
Comments
18 Responses to “Charges To Be Dismissed Against Man For Allegedly Attacking Troopers At Son’s Fatal Wreck”
@Concerned Citizen That story is so far removed from the truth of what happened on the scene. Mr. Edmonson was given ample opportunity and warned before he became violent. For you to try to spin this as the officers attacking someone from behind that was just helping is irresponsible and just plain untrue.
I want to thank the people who responded with hearts…No one knows how they would react in this type of situation…I know that even to this day and I am 50 yrs old my father would react the same why…because he told me this himself…This was a situation that should have been handled better by the first responders…This man helped them cut the roof of the truck off…he was not in the way…he had even stepped back so that they could get to his son…there was a witness who was standing next to him who even wrote the judge on what happened…He was not in anyones way when the officer came at him from behind…the officer never even called to him or warn him…he came from behind and hit him…what would any of us do if we were hit from behind…there are pictures of Mr Edmonson helping with the roof!!!!
Michele,
You don’t actually know he’s going to die until you stop the people trained and trying to save him. The decent thing to do is give him a chance to live.
You don’t attack the ones trying to save him if you really care.
Is there a civilized way to react when you watch your child DIE? What was he suppose to do?
John is a good man that’s loved his son with all his heart first responders robbed him off being with his son in his final moments if they couldn’t save his son they should have let them be together that was cruel and to press charges after that is a shame you would have to know him and his son to realize the agony the put this family through
Everyone keeps talking about how this guy reacted at his son’s wreck. OK, that was an emotional moment (doesn’t excuse his behavior, however), but what about the fact that he also walked free on this: “In an unrelated incident on January 25, 2014, John Edmonson was charged with resisting arrest without violence at a Molino bar.”
???
People really should try and put themselves in other people’s shoes. This man showed up to a car accident that was his son and he could not save him. The first responders showed up and John agreed to step back but when he heard that his son was gargling on his own blood he wanted nothing more than to hold his son at his last breath.He only wanted to hold his son for the last time. Would you be calm should you experience something like this? No, you would think about nothing but getting to your child.
No Marshall, I don’t think you can understand. Unless you have been in that situation. By the words you choose I don’t believe you have.
Whether his son died or not is not a reason for him to push and punch first responders. They are there to do a job and to help victims (his son included), if needed. They cannot do their job if they are too busy dealing with an irate and combative person other than the victim(s). Maybe the third time will be the charm…If he’s arrested again, maybe he’ll actually get a punishment instead of getting off easy like he has twice now.
Good, I don’t know you sir but there is no way i would have convicted you at trial if on your jury. I can understand you were not in a good place mentally, as a father who has lost a child i feel your pain, no matter the age of the child it is always hard and you never get over it, you just learn to adjust. I wish you the best.
@wakeup If I were in his shoes I wouldn’t be getting off so easy. And actually don’t assume you know what someone else would do because you don’t. State your opinion fine…but don’t bash others opinions!
You people need to give this man a break, if you were in his shoes you would have done the same thing, I know I would if one of my kids is ever in that situation and I pray not but if so and they were calling out to me there ain’t nothing going to stop me from getting to them
It sounds like the agreement should have contained attending Anger Management classes. I can understand being extremely upset at the sight of a family member in that situation, but…those kind of actions could stop a First Responder from doing their job, which is to attempt to save the victim. I feel for him, but it sounds like he needs more than just a sweet deal in order to end up with the charges dropped.
Jones was the “judge” on the first case. The S.A.’s office offered a sweetheart deal and he was smart to take it. Will he make it for a year with out being back in court— only he can control that. Hope the family can help him at this hard time.
Because trauma has been caused to my child doesn’t give me the ok to physically attack law enforcement and firefighters. If he was just refusing to clear the scene I can understand that but to make it physical? They should have made an example of him and this wouldn’t happen all the time. These agencies are out when called to help, not because they want to be there. And to have to deal with people physically abusing them is just wrong. I do however sympathize with him and pray for there family.
Good Call..
Sounds like he got off easy in BOTH incidents (at the wreck and the bar). I wonder who the judge was and if they were the same for both cases?
im so glad,he was acting because of such a bad trama to his son.god bless this family and prayers be with you.