EUSTIS, Florida—A man accused of firing several shots not far from Eustis Police Department and pointing a shotgun at an officer Tuesday night is being held at the Lake County Jail on $8,000 bond.
EPD officers responded to the 1300 block of South Grove Street shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday after several complaints of shots being fired in the area, according to EPD. An officer spotted Carl Eric Herzberger, 41, carrying a shotgun as he walked down East Atwater Avenue; the officer got out of his patrol vehicle and ordered Herzberger to drop the gun. Herzberger is alleged to have shouldered the gun in a shooting stance and pointed it at the officer, EPD said.
The officer took cover behind his vehicle and Herzberger began to run toward South Bay Street, which had heavy traffic at the time; the officer pursued Herzberger on foot as an officer arrived as backup. The pair of officers began gaining on Herzberger and he threw the shotgun and laid down on the ground with his hands in the air. He was handcuffed and found with 11 live shotgun shells and the shotgun had an additional six live rounds, according to EPD. Two spent casings were also found, along with a live round at the intersection of Mills Avenue and South Eustis Street.
Police went to Herzberger’s home and spoke with family members who said they saw him walking down the road firing the shotgun but did not call police. Officers canvassed the area and did not find anyone injured or damaged property.
Herzberger was arrested for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, discharging a firearm in public, improper exhibition of a firearm and resisting an officer without violence.
