MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – A quiet night on Big Coppitt Key took a ‘sharp’ turn Thursday when deputies were called to deal with a man reportedly swinging a machete in a residential area.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest of 47-year-old Elijah Lee Tobridge, a Key West resident with a history of felony convictions, following the incident on Barcelona Drive.
Authorities arrived on the scene around 9 p.m. after receiving reports of a man acting erratically. According to responding officers, Tobridge was spotted using a machete to hack at milk crates.
While the display was described as aggressive, investigators confirmed that no one was hurt during the encounter.
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Tobridge was taken into custody without further incident and transported to a local jail.
He now faces formal charges of possession of a concealed weapon and the improper exhibition of a deadly weapon. Records indicate that Tobridge’s status as a prior felon remains a factor in the ongoing investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
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