A Clermont man was arrested after allegedly flashing a gun at Roasted Spirit employees and threatening to harm them.
Officers responded to Roasted Spirit, located at 756 W Montrose St., regarding an intoxicated 33-year-old Michael Benjamin Parrish being aggressive and brandishing a firearm inside the bar around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, according to an arrest report from the Clermont Police Department.
Bystanders advised that Parrish had just left, but an officer found him at the corner of Eighth and West Osceola Streets. In his waistband was a black Glock 43X loaded with 10 9mm rounds, the report said.
Law enforcement spoke with three witnesses, starting with a man who was next door at Mullets Sports Bar. He had a weird conversation with Parrish that made him uncomfortable. He began trying to get video surveillance of the incident, the report said.
A female bartender at Roasted Spirit next advised that she was working her shift when Parrish came in. He had a couple of bags with him and sat in the middle of the bar, stating he was trying to find the bar’s G spot. He seemed a little weird but not drunk, and he told the bartender that he would have whatever she liked, the report said.
She gave him a shot, and he bad-mouthed her before walking away. He came back about 45 minutes later, and when told to pay his tab, he stood up and got loud. Her coworker then arrived to tell Parrish to leave, the report said.
Parrish instead walked toward the end of the bar to scream at the bartender and her coworker. He started to flash his gun that had been concealed under his shirt on his right hip. He got louder, coming closer to them and the opening that would allow him behind the bar, the report said.
He flashed his gun two or three more times during this interaction, all while screaming at them to “hit” him or “try something.” He also looked at the bartender and called her derogatory names. At that point, Parrish’s wife ran over to him from a party she was having with coworkers in the corner of the same bar, the report said.
Parrish finally left the building and ran down the street with his wife. Her friend called the cops. The bartender recalled being scared, as Parrish was very intimidating and aggressive during the interaction, the report said.
Her coworker believed Parrish was very intoxicated and hostile. He saw Parrish arguing with the bartender and trying to buy a drink, to the point of calling her derogatory names. This was when the coworker stated he told Parrish to leave immediately, the report said.
The coworker believed Parrish flashed his gun five or six times during the confrontation. While screaming, he stated, “You won’t make it home to your wife and kids.” The coworker did not know what to do and feared for his life, the report said. Surveillance footage seemed to corroborate these two accounts.
Meanwhile, the officer who found Parrish struggled to handcuff him as he tensed his arms and tried to pull away. He was ultimately detained and brought to a holding cell at the CPD. He later spoke with an officer, smelling of alcohol as he did so, the report said.
Parrish stated he did not like the bartender but claimed he was not at the bar. He was going to complain about her and get her fired because he was friends with the owner. He added that he did not have a gun; it was his wife’s, and it was unloaded, the report said.
He continued, saying the bartender disliked him because he wanted to complain, which was why she called the police and filed a false report about him. It was also an open carry state, and he did nothing wrong, the report said.
After being medically cleared, Parrish tried to be released. He was instead told that he was going to jail, and he requested to be taken to the hospital. He told officers that he did nothing wrong and would be suing them. He continued to say it would be really bad for the officer if he went to jail, the report said.
An officer ultimately spoke with Parrish about medical assistance, and he tried to leave his cell. He was instructed to stay there until EMS arrived to clear him for anxiety and claustrophobia. He then called for them again and got irritated that he was still in the holding cell, the report said.
He was once more cleared by EMS for anxiety, but he refused to go to the hospital for a second time. He just wanted to be sent home and not go to jail. After finding out that going to the hospital did not mean avoiding jail, he became irate and wished to be transported. EMS was called back to take Parrish to South Lake Hospital, the report said.
Parrish was arrested on charges of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of improper exhibition of firearm or dangerous weapon, possession of firearm in commission of third-degree felony, using a firearm while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, carrying a concealed firearm in the prohibited portion of an alcoholic beverage establishment, resist officer without violence and disorderly intoxication.
He was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $19,500 bond.