Monitor Editor
STARKE—A circuit judge ruled a Bradenton man not guilty by reason of insanity after the State Attorney’s Office and the defendant’s lawyer filed a joint, stipulated motion.
Michael Anthony Mays III, 22 was arrested on Sept. 26, 2021, for grand theft auto and a second time on Oct. 21 for battery on a law enforcement officer.
According to an arrest report, the victim of the vehicle theft told deputies he parked his truck in front of a convenience store at the intersection of County Road 18 and State Road 100, then went inside to get a drink.
While in the store, he saw someone, later identified as Mays, ride a bicycle up to the store, get into the victim’s truck, and begin to drive off.
The victim ran outside and confronted the defendant.
“When (the victim) opened the driver side door, Michael got out of the truck like nothing happened, grabbed his black bicycle and left toward Starke on SR 100,” wrote arresting officer Cody Wells. Another deputy detained Mays and drove him back to the convenience store.
The following month Mays was arrested a second time for striking two detention deputies while they attempted to move him.
In the stipulated motion the State Attorney’s and Public Defender’s offices wrote that at the time of both incidents, the defendant was legally insane and unable to distinguish between right and wrong or understand the consequences of his acts.
The parties said they relied on a psychological evaluation. They also wrote that Mays does not meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization.
