VIDEO: Flagler County man threatens maintenance workers with machete, sheriff's office says

PALM COAST, Fla. — A man was arrested after the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said he threatened maintenance workers with a machete.

On Wednesday, deputies received a call about a man threatening workers of a stormwater inspection and maintenance company with a machete near the intersection of Belle Terre Parkway and Kaywood Place in Palm Coast.

The workers told deputies that 43-year-old Miguel Rodriguez was upset because they blocked the road temporarily while backing one of their vehicles up and didn’t have signs posted. The release said deputies noticed several signs posted about workers on the roadway.

They said Rodriguez drove around their worksite, stopped and exited his truck yelling, “I’m going to chop some b-----s up,” while walking towards them with a machete. One of the workers said he fled to a wooded area, the release said. The crew said Rodriguez fled.

Deputies found Rodriguez approximately 3 miles away from the incident on Zerington Court. Rodriguez said he had several machetes in his truck, and deputies observed a machete on the dashboard. Rodriguez told deputies he was stopped by “some guys,” and he was upset there were no signs, and that he exited his truck and started arguing with them.

Rodriguez was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. While being taken to the detention facility Rodriguez began banging his head on the partition, causing a small gash that he later refused medical treatment for, deputies said. He was later released on bond.

“This man threatened several workers with a machete because he was inconvenienced,” Sheriff Rick Staly stated in the release. “This guy became unhinged when he got out and confronted the workers just doing their jobs. ... Take a deep and be patient. That’s better than getting arrested because you couldn’t control your anger.”