DANIA BEACH, Fla. --
A man with a pocketknife who was wandering aimlessly along Interstate 95 on Thursday morning was confronted by authorities and stunned with a Taser gun after he ignored their commands, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
The incident, which happened shortly before 10 a.m. in the northbound lanes of I-95 just north of the Stirling Road exit, was captured on a Florida Department of Transportation camera.
The man, who appeared to be barefoot and carrying a knife, could be seen pacing back and forth on the interstate, and at one point he tried to jump onto a moving semi-truck.
Alceus Meus, who was the first FDOT Road Ranger to arrive, told Local 10 that when he stopped to speak to the man, he pulled up his T-shirt and removed a knife. Meus returned to his vehicle and dialed 911.
A few minutes later, another Road Ranger stopped and could be seen talking to the man. David Grimstead said he thought the man had been in a wreck because his arm was bleeding.
"He did make the statement that the cars had been chasing him all night," Grimstead told Local 10.
Moments later, a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy arrived and drew his weapon. An off-duty Coral Springs police officer in plain clothes soon followed to provide backup.
When the man ignored their commands to drop the knife, according to the BSO, the deputy stunned him with a Taser gun. He immediately dropped to the pavement and was taken into custody.
Traffic slowed as the incident unfolded.
The man was later identified as David Pruitt, 46. It was unclear from where he came because there was no nearby vehicle on the side of the highway.
Pruitt was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Charges are not expected, but he might be admitted to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, according to the BSO.
Copyright 2007 by Local10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
