A Milton man was arrested Saturday after attacking a woman and threatening 15 other people on Sablan Lane in Milton. Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office reports Derrel Lewis Pittman, 27, Milton was with his girlfriend at a friend’s residence when the attack happened. The victim reported to deputies during the attack Pittman beat and choked her, cutting off her air supply entirely two times during the incident. She said it began when Pittman told her he purchased pills from the friend and when she became angry about his purchase he began to drive erratically, doing donuts in the road and slamming on the breaks. After stopping the truck he attacked her. Reports said when someone came down the road and tried to offer assistance, Pittman struck their vehicle with his fists and threatened them. Reports said the victim told deputies he did this to at least two other cars that came by offering help, including Pittman making threatening gestures towards children and adults who were with them. Deputies report witnesses and other victims who retreated to Little Bits Trail said they felt Pittman’s threats and actions created a credible and well founded fear there was imminent and immediate danger to their safety and well being. Other witnesses and victims also threatened by Pittman report him on foot within the neighborhood wielding a metal pipe. Deputies on the scene verified the report of the pipe being 3.5 feet in length and being carried in his left hand.
Reports said Pittman fled the scene after deputies identified themselves and gave verbal commands for him to drop the pipe and lay on the ground. After giving chase, he was located under a white van at a nearby residence. Deputies said he was intoxicated, non cooperative, screaming and making threats toward deputies at the scene. He was not able to be questioned based on his demeanor and extreme level of intoxication.
Pittman was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon, battery, kidnap-false imprisonment and probation violation and is being held at the Santa Rosa County Jail with no bond.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: SRSO: Man chokes girlfriend and wields pipe at witnesses