MONROE COUNTY, Fla. — Two Lake County men were arrested Wednesday in unrelated incidents in the Florida Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
A 50-year-old Umatilla man was arrested in Marathon after deputies say he followed customers around a Publix while armed with a knife, causing alarm among shoppers.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were called to the store around 7 p.m. after multiple customers and an employee reported John Paul Roberts was making eye contact with customers and following them around the store and out to their vehicles for unknown reasons. Roberts had a knife sheathed on his person, authorities said.
One customer reportedly ran from the store while another told deputies Roberts had been kicking and swatting chickens outside.
Roberts refused to identify himself or explain his actions to deputies, according to the sheriff’s office. Security video corroborated witness statements.
Roberts was arrested for stalking, disturbing the peace and obstruction for failure to identify himself to law enforcement.
In a separate incident, a 49-year-old Mount Dora man was arrested after deputies received reports of a disturbance along U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 106.
According to the sheriff’s office, callers reported a shirtless man was pulling his pants down and exposing himself to passing motorists. Deputies quickly located Jeremiah Michael Armsey, who allegedly provided a false name.
Armsey was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, where he was medically cleared before being transported to jail.
He was arrested for disturbing the peace and giving a false name to law enforcement.
