OKEECHOBEE — After receiving several calls about a bleeding man walking in the road on U.S. 441 Southeast on New Years Eve at about 4:30 p.m., Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Broughton was dispatched to the area along with other members of the sheriff’s department to look for him. They were unable to locate him but met with two men who described an altercation they had earlier with Jose Miguel Paguada, 36, who turned out to be the man they were looking for.

The men said the three of them had been hanging out when Paguada began arguing with one of the complaints. Paguada then reportedly picked up a gold telescope and hit the man in the head with it. The second complainant tried to get between them to stop the fight and was hit in the face. He said he punched Paguada causing him to bleed from the mouth, and then Paguada ran outside, grabbed a garden hose and began to strike the windows of a vehicle belonging to one of the men, breaking both the front and rear windows.

Deputies were unable to locate Paguada but a BOLO (be on the look out) was put out for him, and the next morning at about 9:15 a.m., Deputy Devon Satallante was dispatched to the area of Southeast 117th Trail in reference to a suspicious person complaint. When he arrived, he found Paguada walking out of the woods near Southeast 118th Trail. He was arrested and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief, petit theft and battery. Bond was set at $11,500.