SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A man was arrested after a burglary at a home and a foot pursuit, according to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities went to a residence on Northwest 38th Street in Lake Panasoffkee at about 6:20 a.m. regarding a trespasser.
Recommended Videos
Officials said when authorities arrived, the trespasser, identified by the homeowner as Brenton Johnson, 26, was already gone. A K-9 track was conducted, but Johnson was not found.
At about 10:35 a.m., the Sheriff's Office received another 911 call from the homeowner, who said Johnson was now in the residence and that he may have armed himself, officials said.
Additional deputies went to the burglary in progress. Officials said deputies learned Johnson may have entered the home by removing a window screen and crawling through the window.
Before the deputies' arrival, Johnson made threatening statements regarding violence toward law enforcement if they attempted to arrest him, officials said.
Johnson got out of the house without being spotted before the deputies arrived and fled into nearby woods. Officials said this was not known at the time.
A perimeter was set up around the home. Officials said a SWAT team was called to respond regarding the potential armed and barricaded burglar.
At about 1:35 p.m., Johnson was spotted behind another home in the area as he fled into the woods, officials said.
The Sheriff's Office utilized bloodhounds, patrol K-9s and a helicopter to eventually track down Johnson, who was spotted on the edge of a pasture as he fled from deputies, officials said. After a foot pursuit, Johnson was captured when he fled into a marsh.
Johnson is a convicted felon and the home he is accused of burglarizing had a .357 Magnum revolver missing, according to the Sheriff's Office. Officials said the firearm was not recovered upon his arrest.
Johnson was booked into the Sumter County Detention Center with a $38,000 bond, officials said. He faces charges including armed burglary of a residence, grand theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting arrest without violence.
Officials said anyone who has information about this case or other crimes is asked to call Detective Brent Sargent with the Criminal Investigations Division at 352-793-2621.