ASO releases video of arrest of suicidal man on Pinellas County charges

Staff report

WALDO, Fla. – Justin Charles Turner, 39, of Largo, was arrested yesterday and charged with resisting an officer without violence after an alert about a missing/endangered person was issued out of Pinellas County and Turner’s car was pulled over in Waldo.

The alert stated that Turner might be armed with a knife, was suicidal, and had previously stated that he would harm himself if he came in contact with law enforcement officers. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was also trying to find him to arrest him on charges of felony domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated child abuse.

At about 9:25 a.m. yesterday, deputies located Turner’s car on U.S. Hwy 301, south of Waldo, and conducted a traffic stop. Deputies instructed him to show his empty hands outside the window, and Turner reportedly asked why they wanted him to do that. The command was repeated, and Turner allegedly got out of the car holding a kitchen knife. At various times, he held the knife to his stomach and to his neck while asking deputies to shoot him. A deputy finally shot him in the knee with a less-lethal beanbag round, and he dropped the knife, began complying with instructions, and was arrested.

Turner was provided with medical treatment at the scene before being transported to a hospital as a precaution. Once medically cleared, he was transported to the jail. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is reportedly producing a warrant on the charges from that county.

“I want to commend all the deputies on their extraordinary patience and for relying on their training throughout the roughly 30-minute period. Each of you did an exemplary job at coordinating and deescalating the incident to produce a favorable outcome for this event,” said Alachua County Sheriff Emery Gainey.

The video from ASO can be viewed on YouTube or Facebook.

Turner has one felony conviction (non-violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (one violent). Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $5,000 on the charge of resisting an officer without violence; the Pinellas County charges are pending.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.