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Deputies: Crutch-Case Inmate Shows Knives During Traffic Stop

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2008

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  Audie Grogg

TAMPA - Audie Grogg, who says a Hillsborough County detention deputy abused him while he was an inmate early this year, was arrested Thursday on a charge of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Thursday's incident began when a deputy pulled over Grogg, 52, after seeing him driving a 1982 Kawasaki motorcycle at 85 mph in a 45 mph zone on Knights Griffin Road, deputies said. Grogg pulled two 9 1/2-inch knives from concealed sheaths under his shirt, a criminal arrest affidavit states.

Grogg yelled, "What do you want?" to the deputy, who pulled out a gun and told Grogg to drop the knives, according to the affidavit.

Grogg threw the knives to the ground in the deputy's direction, the affidavit states. Grogg was arrested about 9 a.m.

He was charged with two counts of carrying a concealed weapon and one count each of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, driving with a suspended license, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer without violence.

He was being held at Orient Road Jail, with bail set at $11,750. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

In June, Grogg's attorney filed a notice saying Grogg was intending to sue because of injuries he suffered in a jail incident in January. Jail video showed that Grogg swung a crutch in the direction of a detention deputy and that the deputy took him to the ground immediately afterward.

Grogg's attorney, Virlyn B. Moore, said in June that the crutch never made contact with the deputy. Grogg was initially charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, but that charge was dropped, Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said.

Grogg was in jail on a charge of carrying a concealed firearm, Moore said.

Grogg was carrying a flare gun, and it was not concealed, Bondi said in June. The arrest report stated that detectives clearly saw the flare gun, she said, and the charge was dropped. He was released Feb. 8.

In June, Hillsborough sheriff's Col. David Parrish declined to comment on the incident because of Grogg's intent to sue. Parrish said he saw video of the incident and that "We'd have taken some action if we thought there was any issue, so we'll see him in court."

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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