PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 32-year-old man was arrested early Saturday after police said he threatened employees and patrons at a Port St. Lucie business, brandished a baseball bat, exposed himself and ran from officers.
Port St. Lucie police said officers responded around 12:16 a.m. June 6 to Kava Kat, located at 1046 SE Port St. Lucie Boulevard, after receiving a report of a disturbance involving an intoxicated person.
According to police, employees had asked the man, identified as Alec Perkey, to leave after he was seen heavily intoxicated and consuming alcohol on the property. Police said Kava Kat is an alcohol-free establishment.
Investigators said Perkey became argumentative after being asked to leave and began making threats toward employees and the business. Witnesses told police he threatened to return and throw a Molotov cocktail at the establishment and made additional threats toward employees and their property.
Police said Perkey then retrieved a baseball bat from his vehicle and allegedly used it to intimidate employees and patrons. Witnesses reported fearing for their safety and believed he was capable of carrying out the threats, according to police.
During the incident, Perkey also allegedly exposed himself and engaged in lewd behavior toward employees.
A 32-year-old man was arrested early Saturday after police said he threatened employees and patrons at a Port St. Lucie business, brandished a baseball bat, exposed himself and ran from officers. (PSLPD)
When officers arrived, police said Perkey ran into a heavily wooded area behind the plaza. Officers established a perimeter and repeatedly ordered him to surrender. After multiple attempts to evade police, officers pursued him on foot and eventually took him into custody after a taser deployment.
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Police said one taser probe made contact, but neuromuscular incapacitation was not achieved. Perkey continued resisting efforts to remove him from the wooded area and had to be physically carried out before being evaluated by emergency medical personnel.
Perkey was arrested on two counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition, four counts of assault, one count of disorderly intoxication and one count of resisting an officer without violence.
He was taken for medical evaluation and later booked into the St. Lucie County Jail.
“This incident escalated from a disturbance call into a situation where employees and patrons were genuinely concerned for their safety,” police said in the release. “Our officers responded quickly, safely apprehended the suspect, and ensured there was no further threat to the public.”