NEW PORT RICHEY — When deputies responded Monday morning to a 911 call reporting a battery, Benjamin Press told them he'd been waiting too long.
From behind his screen door, in a profanity-laced tirade, he complained the deputies were "late" and told them to get "off my property," according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
When the deputies left, the report states, Press called 911 again to complain about them. He called the Fire Department, too.
When Fire Rescue 19 arrived to take Press to the hospital, the report states, he told them to wait. He needed to find a babysitter.
Firefighters told him they couldn't. The report says he told them to "get the (expletive) out."
Two hours later, the report states, after agreeing to be taken to the hospital, Press, 47, became frustrated again because the ambulance hadn't started driving. He ripped off his restraints, the report states, and dialed 911 again — this time from the back of the ambulance.
Press told the operator he wanted to "go to the hospital now!" the report states. When one of the deputies tried to take the phone from him, the report states, Press smacked the deputy's arm to knock the phone free.
Press was taken to Medical Center of Trinity, where he was arrested on charges of misuse of 911 and battery on a law enforcement officer. He remained Tuesday afternoon at the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $5,150 bail.
The report says the ordeal took five hours.
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