Nakomis man accused of chasing people with machete near Blind Pass Beach: SCSO
Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
MANASOTA KEY, Fla. - A Nakomis man is facing several charges after deputies say he chased several people and threatened them with a machete Tuesday night near the parking lot of Blind Pass Beach.
What we know:
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded around 10:30 p.m. to reports of a man armed with a machete near a parking area.
Witnesses told investigators the suspect, identified as John Slodyczka, 38, appeared to be drunk when he allegedly approached multiple people that were fishing and made threats while wielding a machete.
Deputies say several people reported being chased down the beach by Slodyczka as he brandished the machete over his head.
Dig deeper:
When deputies arrived, they located Slodyczka driving a doorless Jeep through the parking lot. SCSO says Slodyczka refused to get out of the vehicle and had to be detained.
Investigators say Slodyczka changed his story multiple times, reportedly telling deputies he did not have a machete, before mentioning he may have had a machete he was showing his girlfriend while on the beach.
Slodyczka had bloodshot eyes and the smell of alcohol coming from his breath while speaking with deputies. He also had a half empty bottle of alcohol on the passenger seat of his Jeep in plain view, according to SCSO.
During the investigation, deputies learned that Slodyczka’s vehicle was not properly registered in Florida, according to the sheriff's office.
Slodyczka faces the following charges:
- Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill (10 counts)
- Disorderly intoxication
- Park curfew violation
Additional citations were issued for vehicle registration violations.
Slodyczka was taken to the Sarasota County Jail.
What we don't know:
SCSO did not say if a machete was recovered at the scene.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.