The Eyrie

HOLLY HILL, FL — A Winter Park man was arrested after Holly Hill police say he attacked an officer with a metal bar outside a Winn-Dixie store last week. Police said the confrontation began after a call about a homeless man trespassing, causing a scene and damaging property at the store.

According to the Holly Hill Police Department, officers were dispatched on Oct. 6 at about 11:32 a.m. When a responding officer arrived, investigators said the man later identified as Charles Crowley was acting disorderly and erratic.

Police said Crowley ignored repeated orders before pulling a large metal bar from under his shirt and swinging it at the officer. The blow struck the officer on the head, according to the department.

Police say the officer was able to subdue Crowley with help from a bystander

Holly Hill police said the officer managed to get Crowley to the ground and take the metal bar away. The department said that effort was helped in part by a good Samaritan who stepped in during the struggle.

The quick intervention kept the incident from becoming more serious, according to the police release. Officers described the situation as dangerous and unpredictable, with the responding officer facing a violent attack within moments of arriving.

Police did not identify the bystander, but credited that person with helping control the scene. The department later said it was grateful the encounter did not end in a tragedy.

Both men were taken to the hospital with minor injuries after the encounter

Authorities said both Crowley and the officer were taken to the hospital after the incident. Police described the injuries as minor.

Jail records show Crowley was later taken into custody. The arrest came after officers finished dealing with the scene outside the store and processed the incident as an assault on law enforcement.

Police did not release additional details about the officer’s condition beyond saying the injuries were minor. No further information was provided about whether the store remained open during or after the confrontation.

Crowley now faces several felony and misdemeanor charges

Crowley is facing multiple charges tied to the attack and the disturbance at the store. Holly Hill police said those charges include resisting arrest with violence, criminal mischief, battery on a first responder, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Those allegations reflect both the initial disturbance and the physical confrontation that followed. Police said Crowley was held without bond after the arrest.

Charging documents were not included in the department’s release, and police did not say whether he had entered a plea or retained an attorney. The case is now moving through the court system.

The police department highlights the risks officers face during routine calls

In its statement, the Holly Hill Police Department used the case to underscore how quickly routine calls can turn dangerous. Officers respond to situations without always knowing what they will face, the department said.

The release said officers often have to make split-second decisions in unpredictable circumstances that can change lives immediately. That warning came alongside the department’s thanks that the attack did not become fatal.

The call started as a report of trespassing and property damage at a grocery store, but police said it escalated into a violent encounter almost immediately after the officer arrived. The department framed the event as an example of the risks tied to everyday police work.

What police say happened outside the grocery store that morning

Investigators said the scene began with reports that a homeless man was trespassing and destroying property outside the Winn-Dixie. Once the officer reached the store, police said Crowley appeared erratic and disobeyed repeated commands.

From there, the confrontation escalated rapidly. According to police, Crowley concealed a metal bar under his shirt, pulled it out and used it to strike the officer before being restrained.

That sequence is central to the case now under review. Holly Hill police have not said what led Crowley to be at the store or where the metal bar came from, but they say the attack happened in full view of the responding officer and a bystander who helped stop it.