Cottondale man arrested for tackling paramedic while intoxicated

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Danny Taylor Tate, 30, of Cottondale, Florida, was arrested last night for disorderly intoxication, child neglect, battery on a paramedic, and resisting an officer with violence.

At about 8:56 p.m. on September 12, University of Florida Police Department officers responded to Emerson Hall (1938 W. University Avenue), where a passerby had flagged down an officer to express concern about the welfare of a young child who was with a man who appeared to be intoxicated.

An officer reported that Tate was wearing only a watch, chain, shoes, and boxers, and he was pacing around and talking loudly. Tate’s six-year-old son was sitting on the ground, talking to paramedics.

Two officers and two paramedics reportedly tried to de-escalate the situation; they reached Tate’s cousin by phone, and Tate’s cousin was trying to make his way to the scene to pick up Tate and his son, with the goal of getting them home safely.

An officer reported that Tate calmed down and ramped up at random intervals, and he became more upset when officers asked him to put his pants back on; an officer also noted that Tate’s son was crying and was visibly scared.

An officer reported that Tate kept yelling at officers to taze him and arrest him while also saying, “I can take you” and “I’m just trying to give him a fun weekend.”

At one point, Tate allegedly got into a “football” stance before lunging at and tackling a paramedic.

Two officers and the other paramedic pulled Tate away from the victim, but he allegedly tensed up and pulled away. When an officer placed him in a patrol vehicle, Tate allegedly tried to yank away, and during the drive to the jail, he allegedly made multiple threats to “see [the officer] tomorrow” and “beat [the officer] up,” along with wishing him a terrible life and making remarks about the officer’s wife. At the jail, he reportedly began slamming his head into the cage of the patrol vehicle.

A search of Tate’s pants reportedly produced a vape pen; a medical marijuana card was found in Tate’s wallet, but the vape pen was not labeled as prescription marijuana.

Post Miranda, Tate reportedly said the officer knew what the vape pen was.

Tate’s son was released to Tate’s cousin, and an officer reported that he would be submitting a report to the Department of Children and Families. The officer reported that Tate seemed more concerned about his job and the possibility that his ex-wife would take away his custody than he was about his son’s welfare.

Tate has been charged with battery on a paramedic, child neglect without great bodily harm, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication. His criminal history is unavailable because those documents are not posted on weekends. Judge Mitchell Bishop set bail at $6,000.

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.