TAMPA, FL – A federal prosecutor who had built a reputation of being insensitive, overreaching, and unfair to defendants during the Department of Justice cases against those accused and charged with crimes at the U.S. Capitol is about to stand trial himself.
In September, a shocking road rage altercation on the Howard Frankland Bridge outside Tampa, Florida, led to the arrest of a former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor. Patrick Douglas Scruggs, 38. He was arrested after allegedly stabbing a 35-year-old man with a pocket knife during a confrontation last September, an incident caught on video.
Police say the incident was sparked by road rage. Prosecutors say Scruggs got out of his car and stabbed a man. It was caught on video.
The altercation began during the morning rush hour. When police showed up, victim reportedly slumped over in his driver’s seat, stopping traffic. Scruggs, whose legal career includes handling January 6 Capitol riot cases, now faces charges for the violent encounter which resulted in “great bodily harm” to the victim.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 3 at 8:30 AM at the Pinellas County Justice Center. Meanwhile, Scruggs has been released on a $10,000 bond. His criminal record includes a variety of charges, from reckless driving to bank robbery.
Scruggs had made initial court appearances for some January 6 defendants, sparking controversy among those involved. The DOJ has clarified that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia managed these prosecutions.