Strickland attacked in his Vernon office - more information

VERNON - Washington County District 1 Commissioner Donnie Ray Strickland keeps an office in the new Vernon City Hall to help constituents. He never expected one to attack him, but that's what happened Tuesday morning.

"I never would have thought anything like that would happen at the City Hall," said a shaken Strickland Tuesday afternoon. The Washington County Sheriff's Office charged Horace Dewayne Anderson, 52, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday afternoon after Anderson was captured on video swinging and jabbing his cane at Strickland in his office.

Strickland said he had an altercation with Anderson about three months ago, but Tuesday's action was, to put it mildly, a surprise to him.

"I never had anybody swing a club at me," Strickland said. Anderson uses a cane because of an artificial leg.

Based on the video and Strickland's testimony Anderson came to Strickland's office just after 8 a.m. "and started raising sand," Strickland said. Anderson swung his cane at Strickland, who blocked the attack with his arm as his assailant backed him into a corner jabbing at him with his cane.

"It's a good thing it wasn't another six inches long or he would have gotten me," Strickland said.

Strickland tried to reach for his phone but he said Anderson knocked it out of his hand. The entire incident took 32 seconds according to the video, with Anderson shouting "I'm gonna get you!" as he left.

Law enforcement arrived just after 11 a.m. because deputies were tied up in court, Strickland said, and after checking the video and interviewing Strickland found Anderson and took him to the county jail in Chipley later that afternoon.

Vernon City Clerk Sherry Cobb said the City took out a no-trespass warning against Anderson.

NOTE: City Clerk Sherry Cobb said the video was accidentally erased when the hard drive was being moved, but said a tech rep was on the way to attempt to recover the data. Cobb said a number of people viewed the video, including herself and Deputy City Clerk Cheryl Withrow, Commission Chairman Joel Pate, County Administrator Pete Herbert and the deputy. Investigation continues

EDITOR'S NOTE: Perry Wells, our newspaper historian for Washington County, said he belived this was the first caning of a public official by a member of the public.