Sheriff's Office: Combative Ormond Beach man collapses after being tasered by deputy

ORMOND BEACH -- A combative, 30-year-old Ormond Beach man suffered a medical episode and collapsed Wednesday morning after a Volusia County Sheriff's deputy deployed his Taser to gain control of the man, an agency spokesman said.

The man, who was being taken into custody under Florida's Baker Act for a mental health evaluation, was transported to Florida Hospital in Ormond Beach and listed in critical condition.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has agreed to conduct an independent investigation of Wednesday's events.

"The incident began with a 911 call at 7:10 a.m. Wednesday morning from a man claiming to have been the victim of an armed robbery," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. "As the man got deeper into the call, it became apparent that he was suffering some sort of an emotional episode and in need of a well-being check. Despite repeated efforts by dispatchers, however, the man never said exactly where he was. Ormond Beach Police officers were dispatched to the call, but were unable to locate the man."

At 7:36 a.m., the Sheriff's Office received another 911 call, this time from a woman in Ormond-by-the-Sea who reported a trespassing and possible burglary in the area of Beechwood Drive.

The information about the incident was a bit vague, though, as the woman was reporting details that were being related to her by a man who was out in front of her house, Davidson said.

"When deputies arrived at about 7:44 a.m. and made contact with the man, they determined that he met the Baker Act criteria and was taken into custody, while paramedics were called to the scene to evaluate him," Davidson said, adding the man was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, but deputies had to restrain him after he slipped out of the handcuffs and became violent and combative.

The Sheriff's sokesman said this is what followed: "While the man was still in the patrol car, but out of his handcuffs and kicking at officers, Deputy Bradley Schindelheim initiated a contact stun with his Taser in an effort to gain control of the man. With the man still acting agitated and combative, the deputy deployed the Taser again, then gained control of the man, removed him from the patrol car and put the handcuffs back on. According to deputies at the scene, the man was believed to be on drugs, but was alert and talking after the Taser deployment. Already on scene, paramedics began evaluating his condition. At around 9:40 a.m., approximately 35 minutes after the Taser deployment, the man collapsed and stopped breathing and was taken to the hospital."