Police: Drugged man assaults Salt Life Food Shack customer, emergency crews

A man from Tallahassee is facing battery charges after attacking several people, including a taxi driver, firefighter and nurse, police said.

Jason Swindle, 28, reportedly hit a patron and taxi driver at a popular bar at Salt Life Food Shack in St. Augustine Beach.

Swindle also faces disorderly intoxication and criminal mischief charges after police said they found 10 people restraining him in the parking lot on Thursday night.

Witnesses said Swindle attacked a father who was coming to the restaurant on A1A to eat dinner with his family.

He also damaged his car, which had a large dent on the rear.

He then hopped inside a nearby taxi and hit the driver, according to a police report.

The taxi driver, who did not want to press charges, said Swindle ran into the road and was tackled by witnesses.

When officers got to the scene and asked Swindle what happened, he said he didn’t know.

Officers said he smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated.

He was sweating profusely and mumbling while talking, officers said.

Swindle kicked a firefighter in the stomach and kicked the doors and windows of a patrol car on the way to the hospital, police said.

The report said when he got to Flagler Hospital, he kicked a nurse in the face.

He calmed down after three hours and told officers he’d been drinking and using cocaine, according to the report.

He was issued a trespass warning for Salt Life Food Shack and booked at the St. Johns County Jail.

Cox Media Group