An Eatonton man is in jail after he tried to attack someone with a samurai sword, according to authorities.
The Putnam County 911 center received a call Saturday afternoon that a man with a sword, later identified as Stephen Wheeler, was keeping another man from leaving a residence on Crooked Creek Road, according to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.
“But the guy was able to leave before the deputy got there,” Sills said, noting that Deputy Jason Cabe responded to the call.
Wheeler reportedly told Cabe that the other man was stealing something from the house.
“But it wasn’t even his house,” Sills said. “It turns out, the owner of the house had told Wheeler to leave her property and when he didn’t, she called her boyfriend to come over, and he is accosted by Wheeler.”
As Cabe tried to get the details of what had happened, the boyfriend came back. The deputy immediately saw the damaged top of the boyfriend’s car where Wheeler had struck it with his samurai sword.
“He (Wheeler) was charged with aggravated assault because he tried to attack the guy, took a swing at him with the sword, but didn’t nick him,” Sills said. “He also resisted arrest and then beat his head on the metal partition in the patrol car until he had to go to the hospital and get his head sewn up. You can see it on his mug shot.”
A young child was present and witnessed the entire incident, according to Sills.
Stephen Lee Wheeler, 41, of Eatonton, is being held without bond in Putnam County Jail on charges of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property in the second degree, cruelty to children third degree, making false statements within the jurisdiction of state subdivisions, and obstruction or hindering law enforcement.