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Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

Shirtless Ocala man resists arrest after drinking moonshine

Rick Lee Miller

A shirtless Ocala man who reportedly had been drinking “moonshine” for several hours was charged Saturday night with using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol, resisting an officer without violence, assault with intent to commit a felony and disturbing the peace.

The Marion County sheriff’s sergeant who responded to a noise complaint at 5 Larch Course Trak reported to a deputy that 51-year-old Rick Lee Miller made statements that he was going to shoot and kill him. The sergeant unholstered his firearm to potentially protect himself. He said Miller made multiple gestures of putting his hand behind his back as if to have a weapon and refused to show his hands as the sergeant commanded him to do, according to the sheriff’s report.

The sergeant said Miller went into his residence, but before doing so, he made a finger gun, pointed it at him and said, “pow.” Miller’s demeanor was very agitated and threatening at this time, the report said.

The deputy observed Miller was wearing shorts and no shirt. He had multiple knives on his person, but a firearm wasn’t visible. Miller came out of the residence and the deputy and sergeant gave him multiple commands to get onto the ground, according to the report.

As Miller walked away, the sergeant and deputy both observed a silver slide back handle Taurus .380 located in the small of his back. The sergeant quickly grabbed the firearm from Miller and ordered him to get onto the ground. Miller refused to listen to all commands, so the deputy deployed his taser to gain control of him. The deputy could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Miller while handcuffing him, the report said.

The sergeant cleared the firearm and observed a full clip of .380 rounds as well as one in the chamber. Miller’s wife told the deputy that Miller started drinking at around 8 a.m. She said he had one beer but then started drinking store-bought moonshine, according to the report.

The neighbor who made the call to law-enforcement said Miller was playing loud music and yelling very loud. She said Miller was disturbing the peace to the point where she couldn’t sleep, the report said.

Miller was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he’s being held on $1,500 bond. He’ll appear in Marion County Court on March 24.