A naked man who threw a machete at a surveyor while trying to rob him was arrested after he was seen approaching vehicles aggressively near a DeLand gas station.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an attempted robbery near the Volusia County Fairgrounds shortly before 10 a.m. on Monday, August 8.
The victim of that robbery says that while he was land surveying, he noticed a naked man that was picking palmetto berries in the woods nearby.
That man, who was later identified as 34-year-old Brandon Wright, eventually came running out of the brush while brandishing a machete.
The victim says that Wright demanded his clothes, wallet, and phone.
While the victim was complying, Wright allegedly threw his machete and the berries, which struck him in the chest. The victim was struck by the handle of the machete and was not injured during the encounter.
Authorities say that Wright ran back into the brush and into a white Dodge Challenger after the attack.
Minutes later, Wright’s vehicle passed a license plate reader in the DeLand area and soon after that, police received reports of a naked man outside of a gas station at 99 S. Spring Garden Avenue in DeLand.
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Air One spotted Wright from overhead and gave updates on his location until DeLand police officers arrived on the scene.
In overhead video shot by Air One, Wright is seen approaching multiple vehicles in an aggressive manner. A handful of cars are seen veering around Wright as he walks down the middle of the road.
After a few minutes, officers arrived and Wright laid down in the parking lot.
He was taken into custody without incident.
Wright is being charged with attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was transported to the Volusia County Jail.