CCPD: Cape man assaulted officers attempting to rescue him as he danced around fire
A Cape Coral man is facing multiple charges after police say he assaulted offers attempting to rescue him as he danced naked in a fire while speaking gibberish.
Cape Coral Police Department officers responding to a disturbance call at 1335 NE Pine Island Lane at 1:30 a.m. Friday say they found John Henry Hennessey, 27, in the front yard “completely naked” and holding a knife.
“Hennessey was chanting and dancing around a fire,” a release from agency issued Monday states. “At one point Hennessey actually stood in the fire while chanting gibberish. Hennessey dropped the knife and grabbed a large wooden stick and started swinging it around at officers. Officers deployed a TASER and were finally able to secure Hennessey in handcuffs while he was still chanting in an unknown language.”
The caller had reported that a man with a knife trying to set a vehicle on fire and had also thrown a rock through a window of an occupied home.
It was later learned that Hennessey, of the same address, had possibly consumed psychedelic mushrooms, police said.
He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and four counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officer, police said.
Hennessey, who police say had incurred burns, was transported by Lee County EMS to a local hospital for treatment.
He was later transferred to Lee County Jail where he remained in custody Monday morning.