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LITHIA, FL – A Hillsboro County deputy is recovering after being stabbed by a man in Lithia. Police Department bodycam footage shows the moment the suspect stabbed an HCSO deputy in the neck. Deputy Charles Williams was released from the hospital this morning after Sunday afternoon’s incident. Deputies responded to a home in the Fishhawk Ranch neighborhood in Lithia to assist Gracepoint with an involuntary mental health evaluation. At this time, Nicolas Furgason (21) was cooperating with deputies and Gracepoint personnel.
After an hour of evaluation and upon learning he would be admitted to Gracepoint under Florida’s Baker Act, Furgason fled from the home on foot into a heavily wooded area. Deputy Williams pursued him on foot and Deputy Nicolas Cruz followed in an HCSO marked patrol car. After a brief pursuit, Deputy Williams came into contact with Furgason on a wooded trail and in an effort to calm him down, used de-escalation techniques. Unknown to the deputy, Furgason had a knife on him. Furgason pulled the knife out and stabbed Deputy Williams in the neck before fleeing the area and ignoring verbal commands to stop. Deputy Williams continued his pursuit for another 100 yards before successfully deploying his taser and detaining Furgason. Deputy Williams was taken to the hospital. Furgason was also taken to the hospital for evaluation. He was cleared and then booked into jail for Attempted Felony Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer, Resisting an Officer with Violence, and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.