Bicyclist Gets Prison Time After Assaulting Deputy During Traffic Stop

August 18, 2018

An Escambia County man stopped for riding a bicycle without a light has been sentenced to prison for assaulting a deputy.

A jury found Curtis Searles guilty of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, and battery on a law enforcement officer. Circuit Judge Joel Boles presided over the trial sentenced the Searles to seven years in state prison with a three year minimum mandatory sentence for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

The charges arose from a traffic stop on November 24, 2017. An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Searles for riding his bicycle without a light. Searles ran into the woods during the traffic stop. The deputy followed Searles into the woods, and tried to detain him for  resisting. Searles grabbed the deputy’s arm, and they fell to the ground. Searles got on top of the deputy and grabbed the deputy’s gun. The deputy struggled to keep his gun in his holster with both of Searles’ hands on the deputy’s gun. Other deputies responded to the scene, and Searles continued to resist the deputies as they tried to detain him.

Searles has been convicted of six prior felonies including an aggravated assault, throwing a missile into a vehicle, sale, manufacture, or delivery of a controlled substance, introduction of contraband into a detention facility, and two perjury convictions. he also has three resisting an officer without violence convictions.

Comments

2 Responses to “Bicyclist Gets Prison Time After Assaulting Deputy During Traffic Stop”

  1. Tim on August 21st, 2018 2:00 pm

    If your going to get arrested for something. You have to admit “throwing a missile into a vehicle” is pretty cool. That’s on to write momma about. Cudos

  2. Sage2 on August 18th, 2018 5:22 pm

    Yet another PFHS attendee making headlines and getting a scholarship to jail too!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News