An incident on 6th Street in Summerville last week resulted in the arrest of 59-year-old Horace Wooten Jr., who faced multiple charges following a confrontation with law enforcement. Witnesses reported that Wooten was seen walking eastbound on 6th Street when an officer, who was aware of outstanding felony warrants related to a past domestic violence incident, attempted to engage him.

According to police reports, the officer called out to Wooten several times, but he continued to walk away, ignoring commands to stop. After a brief chase, the officer retrieved their taser and instructed Wooten to halt and place his hands behind his back. Initially resistant, Wooten eventually complied but exhibited increasingly erratic behavior, reportedly using foul language and becoming irate. Upon detaining Wooten, the officer noted a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, bloodshot and sleepy eyes, and slurred speech. Observers described Wooten as stumbling and exhibiting signs of intoxication. Despite attempts to maintain control of the situation, Wooten remained belligerent, even headbutting the officer with the bill of his hat.

Following the arrest, the officer transported Wooten to the Chattooga County Jail, where the disturbances continued. Wooten was charged with obstruction of an officer for failing to follow lawful commands and public drunkenness, as well as disturbing the peace due to his loud and boisterous behavior. The warrants against Wooten for previous offenses were confirmed to be valid according to the Summerville Police Department.