OKEECHOBEE – After attempting unsuccessfully to trade scrap from the Burger King construction site as partial payment for a trailer, a local man was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a firearm, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and armed burglary of a structure.

On Sunday, Jan. 24 at approximately 5:45 p.m., Okeechobee City Police Officer Brandon Griesemer was dispatched to the vacant gas station next to Wendy’s Restaurant in response to a medical call. When he arrived, Patrick Williams, 46, told him a man drove up about 30 minutes earlier and hit him.

Williams was transported to Raulerson Hospital, and Griesemer followed in order to take his statement. Williams told him the man asked for cigarettes and money, but he told the man he did not have any. Williams said the man became angry and hit him with a stick with a rope on it.

According to the report, Williams became agitated during questioning and left the hospital without providing any further information.

Back at the gas station, Griesemer made contact with two men in a gray truck who told him Williams had reportedly stolen a .22 caliber rifle from them. One of the men told Griesemer that Williams wanted to buy a trailer from him and was going to give the man some scrap metal located at the Burger King construction site to help pay for it. The man decided he should consult his boss before accepting the scrap metal and they drove to his place of employment. While there, the man went inside to talk to his boss, leaving Williams alone in his vehicle. A co-worker later told him he saw Williams outside the vehicle walking around.

The two men left the business and headed back to the gas station after the man’s boss advised him not to accept the metal, telling him that was not how construction sites normally operated. During the drive back, Williams reportedly became angry and would not get out of the vehicle when they arrived at the gas station. Williams then pulled out a rifle and pointed it at the man, who grabbed it and fought Williams.

When the man got back to his workplace and told his boss what happened, his boss wondered if Williams could have taken his rifle from his shop while he was there earlier. The two of them went to check and found the rifle was missing.

Okeechobee County Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Robbie Lamb located the rifle on the Burger King construction site, and the man positively identified it as his missing rifle.

Deputies attempted to interview Williams about the allegations but the report notes they could not decipher his erratic statements.

Williams’ bond was set at $47,500.