A 69-year-old man was arrested after a Chattooga County sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of someone tampering with a cable box on Mississippi Avenue last Friday.

According to a Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office incident report, a deputy responded to 210 Mississippi Avenue on August 28 and found Wendell Lee Eleam, 69, sitting along the side of the roadway with what appeared to be a black object in his hand.

The report states that Eleam told the deputy he had received a call saying he had been out of business for 18 years and had removed part of a cable or internet box located near the roadway. Eleam reportedly said he lived nearby.

According to the report, Eleam began walking away while the deputy was speaking with him. The deputy told Eleam to stop and advised him that he was not free to leave because of the damage to the utility box.

The report states that Eleam then became aggressive, and the deputy attempted to take him into custody. The deputy reported deploying a Taser twice after Eleam allegedly refused commands to get on the ground. According to the report, both attempts were ineffective, and Eleam eventually got down on one knee and was held at Taser point until another deputy arrived.

Deputies then took Eleam into custody.

The resident who reported the incident told deputies that she had seen Eleam take out a knife and remove something from the utility box. Deputies reported finding several loose wires hanging from the box and an electrical component that appeared to have been removed.

The report also states that Eleam was found to be armed with a knife when he was taken into custody.

Eleam was charged with criminal trespass and misdemeanor obstruction of officers and transported to the Chattooga County Jail.