A 52-year-old Florida man is in custody following a disruptive afternoon outside a local grocery store. Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Wendell Dearing on Friday, after receiving multiple reports of a man screaming profanities and threatening customers at the Winn-Dixie in Tavernier.
Authorities arrived at the scene around 3:10 p.m. to find a situation that had already escalated. According to witness statements, Dearing’s behavior was aggressive enough that several people told deputies they were actually afraid to enter the building.
Before law enforcement arrived, one witness reportedly confronted Dearing, at which point the 52-year-old removed his shirt and took a ‘fighting stance.’
Deputies noted that Dearing smelled of alcohol during the encounter. The situation took another turn when Dearing allegedly encouraged a dog he had with him to attack another bystander.
The dog did not follow the command, and no injuries were reported during the entire incident. Following the arrest, the SPCA took possession of the animal.
The disruption did not stop once Dearing was in handcuffs. According to the Sheriff’s Office, he continued to scream profanities at the responding deputies while being transported to jail. Dearing has been officially charged with disturbing the peace.
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