A Dunnellon man was arrested Monday night after a loss prevention officer at a Bealls Department Store in Ocala reported a theft in progress.
While a deputy was en route to the store, the loss prevention officer reported that the man, later identified as 31-year-old Jonathan Ray Slaughter, had left the store and entered a Dollar Tree store next door.
When the deputy arrived at Bealls, located at 9598 114th Street, the loss prevention officer told him that he watched Slaughter put on a pair of black $65 New Balance shoes and walk out of the store without paying for them.
A short time later, the deputy spotted Slaughter in the Dollar Tree store and ordered him to turn around and put his hands behind his back, the report says, adding that Slaughter asked why and was told a second time to turn around and put his hands behind his back.
Slaughter started to follow the deputy’s commands, but then turned and ran from the store and through the parking lot toward State Road 200.
The deputy ordered Slaughter to stop, but he kept running through a field and started reaching into his pockets. The deputy pulled out his Taser gun and again ordered Slaughter to stop, but he yelled back, “No.” The deputy attempted to use his Taser gun on Slaughter twice, but was unable to make good contact either time, the report says.
Slaughter eventually reached the north side of SR 200, ran into a wooded area and attempted to jump over a fence, the report says. But he tripped and fell on the other side of the fence, allowing the deputy the opportunity to put him in handcuffs and place him under arrest.
The deputy took Slaughter back to the Bealls store, where the loss prevention officer confirmed that the shoes he was wearing were the same ones that were taken earlier from the store.
Slaughter was transported to the Marion County Jail and charged with petit theft and resisting arrest without violence. He was held on $1,500 bond.
Slaughter also was arrested April 13 and charged with battery. That case is still listed as open in Marion County Court documents.
Slaughter has a long history with the Marion County court system that dates to June 14, 2000. He’s faced a variety of charges in the past 18 years, including battery domestic violence, resisting or obstructing an officer without violence, driving while license revoked (habitual offender), no valid driver’s license, failure to appear, failure to appear for arraignment and violation of bicycle helmet regulations.
Slaughter also served two stints in the Florida prison system. His first term was from Feb. 1, 2012 to Dec. 10, 2013, followed by another from Nov. 24, 2015 to Sept. 1, 2016. Those sentences stemmed from a variety of drug charges and fleeing from law enforcement officers out of Citrus County.