48 Year Old Florida Man Arrested for Assaulting Botanist
POSTED: 7:55 am EDT September 13,
2004
UPDATED: 9:32 am EDT September 18,
2004
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. -- Miami-Dade County Police arrested a 48 year old Florida man after assaulting a botanist from the United States Department of the Interior.The incident started late Monday morning when a Botanist, who wishes to not be named, was performing a routine soil sample near several trees that had "unusual lichen growth".The suspect arrived and yelled at the botanist to not "touch the lichen" on the trees, stating that it was dangerous. The Botanist ignored his warnings, to which the suspect then began to attack the Botanist with a wooden bat.Residents in the area called 911, and police arrived on the scene to break up the fight. Police had to use tazers to subdue the suspect, who is awaiting trial for assault with a weapon.UPDATE: The suspect died in his holding cell during the night of September 17, having died from an apparent lung infection. His cell was covered in incomprehensible writings and drawings, and he appeared to have smuggled some moss in with him. Investigators state that no further investigation is warranted, but federal authorities have taken over the case. They have declined any and all comments.
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