SUICIDAL MAN ARRESTED ON PALM ISLAND

A PLACIDA MAN WHO THREATENED TO COMMIT SUICIDE WAS ARRESTED ON PALM ISLAND LAST NIGHT.  CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THEY RECEIVED THE CALL JUST AFTER 9PM THAT A MAN, LATER IDENTIFIED AS 57 YEAR OLD THOMAS CAMPBELL, WAS HEADING TO THE BEACH TO KILL HIMSELF, AND IF ANY DEPUTIES TRIED TO STOP HIM, HE WOULD KILL THEM ALSO.  CAMPBELL WAS RIDING AROUND ON A GOLF CART WITH A SHOTGUN WHEN DEPUTIES CONFRONTED HIM AND TOLD HIM TO STOP.  HE REFUSED AND HEADED TOWARDS THE PALM ISLAND RESORT WHERE HE HID BEHIND SOME BUSHES THERE.  HE ACTUALLY FIRED ONE SHOT AT A DEPUTY BEFORE FLEEING ON THE GOLF CART.  DEPUTY JOHN STEWART THEN MET UP WITH CAMPBELL AND BEGAN TALKING TO HIM, FINALLY GETTING HIM TO DROP HIS SHOTGUN AND HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, CHARGED WITH ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AND FLEEING TO ELUDE.  HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND, AND DEPUTIES ARE ASKING IF ANYONE ENCOUNTERED CAMPBELL LAST NIGHT TO CALL THEM AT 639-2101.