Lakeland Man Arrested After Threatening Roommate, Attacking Deputy

Photo Courtesy of PCSO

Staff Reporter | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published July 6th, 2025

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Lakeland Man Arrested After Threatening Roommate, Attacking Deputy

Lakeland, FL (iSkyNews.com) — A 39-year-old Lakeland man is facing a series of felony charges after allegedly threatening his roommate with a knife and then attacking a deputy during his arrest, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO).

Deputies responded to a residence on Combee Road North in east Lakeland around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday evening. The call was placed by William Bruce Johnson, who told dispatchers that another man in the home had grabbed a knife and threatened to cut him.

However, when deputies arrived and interviewed the other man involved, a different story emerged. The second man claimed Johnson had actually been the one wielding the knife. According to the man, Johnson was cooking in the kitchen when an argument broke out, and Johnson threatened him, allegedly saying, “I am going to cut you!”

When deputies confronted Johnson again, he contradicted his earlier statement, admitting, “Yes, we got into an argument; yes, I had the knife.”

Deputies attempted to place Johnson under arrest, but he became combative as he was being escorted to the patrol car. Johnson told the deputy, “You are going to have to kill me,” before violently head-butting the deputy multiple times and trying to escape custody. He also caused damage to the patrol vehicle during the struggle.

Additional deputies responded to the scene and managed to secure Johnson in the vehicle. During transport to jail, Johnson reportedly banged his head repeatedly against the partition and made a racially charged remark about the man he had previously threatened.

Johnson was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with:

Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Felony)
Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer (Felony)
Felony Criminal Mischief
Attempted Escape
Resisting Arrest with Violence
Resisting Arrest without Violence

He remains in custody as the investigation continues.

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