29-year-old Bradenton man charged with multiple counts after pointing gun at security personnel and off-duty deputy outside Beach Club in Siesta Village

Breath test found suspect to be intoxicated at three times the state’s legal limit

Jacob Cannon Soles. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division

A 29-year-old Bradenton man was arrested shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 12, at the Beach Club in Siesta Village on two felony counts of aggravated assault and one of battery of a law enforcement officer, plus two misdemeanor charges related to the possession of a firearm, The Sarasota News Leader has learned.

A Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office deputy had been alerted to disturbance within the business during which the Bradenton man, who was found to be intoxicated, allegedly “pointed a gun at multiple people,” the Probable Cause Affidavitexplained.

Jacob Cannon Soles, of 13620 Luxe Ave. in Bradenton, was arrested just after 2 a.m. on Jan. 12, the affidavit adds.

Soles was released on Jan. 13 on bond totaling $125,000, his Sheriff’s Office Corrections Division records show. His arraignment has been scheduled for Feb. 28.

The highest bond — $50,000 — was set on the charge of aggravated assault involving the use of a deadly weapon without intent to kill, the Corrections Division record notes.

The Sheriff’s Office affidavit lists three victims.

On Jan. 16, 12th Judicial Circuit Court records show, Soles pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and demanded a jury trial.

The Beach Club stands at 5151 Ocean Blvd., near the four-way intersection in Siesta Village. Its website says, “Whether you’re on the key to enjoy the beach, watch sports, listen to live music, or go out for a night or dancing, we have it all.”

The Probable Cause Affidavit said that when a deputy arrived at the Beach Club on Jan. 12, he spoke with security personnel, who advised him that they had escorted Soles outside “because he was severely intoxicated,” and they had banned him from the establishment.

In reviewing security footage recorded that night, the deputy saw Soles speaking with one of the security guards, Benjamin Michaelson, who was listed as one of the victims. The deputy also saw Soles struggling with a friend, who was identified as Chad Woods, the affidavit said.

During that struggle, the affidavit narrative continued, Soles “reached into his waistband and grabbed a pistol,” which he pointed at the door and another victim, Maxwell Rifkin, an off-duty deputy.

Michaelson was near Soles, the affidavit said, when Soles began waving and pointing the gun. Rifkin was “standing a few feet away” from Soles and Woods “while they were grabbing each other.”

Rifkin told the investigating deputy that while Soles “was in a tussle with [a] security guard, Rifkin “ ‘looked over and the guy lifted and pointed a gun at the door,’ ” where another security guard was standing. Then, when Rifkin told Soles “ ‘to holster the gun,’ ” the affidavit continued, Soles “ ‘responded by pointing [the gun at Rifkin]’ ” and asking, with profanity, who Rifkin was.

People stroll past the Beach Club in Siesta Village. File photo

Rifkin was able to persuade Soles to put the gun under Soles’ arm, so Rifkin approached him, the affidavit said.

However, the affidavit noted, Soles again pointed the gun at Rifkin, so Rifkin ended up grabbing the barrel of the gun and attempting to pull it away from Soles. Woods was holding Soles at that time, the affidavit added.

Rifkin did identify himself to Soles as an off-duty deputy, the affidavit pointed out, but Soles “would not let go of the gun.”

Nonetheless, the affidavit said, when Rifkin grabbed the barrel, he was able to eject the magazine from the pistol and keep it pointed at the ground.

Finally, the affidavit indicated that Rifkin was able to pry Soles’ thumb off the weapon. Rifkin took the pistol and put it behind his belt on his back, the affidavit added, as Woods continued to hold Soles down. Rifkin later gave the gun to a member of the security staff and assisted with securing Soles, the affidavit continued.

After Soles was placed under arrest, the affidavit said, “he began to struggle” when deputies attempted to position him in the back of a patrol vehicle. With his elbow, the affidavit noted, Soles struck one of the deputies in the right eyebrow, leaving “a minor scrape mark.”

Finally, the deputies were able to get Soles into the vehicle, the affidavit said. The deputy who transported him to the jail had no further problems, the affidavit indicated.

These are all of the formal charges against Jacob Soles, as shown in the Probable Cause Affidavit. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office

At the jail, when one of the deputies asked Soles whether he “would be willing to perform” a Portable Breath Test, Soles replied, “ ‘Yea, I don’t give a f**k,’ ” the affidavit added. The test results showed that Soles had a reading of 0.235. The legal limit in Florida is 0.08.

Based on the results, the deputy wrote in the affidavit narrative, he had probable cause to charge Soles with using a firearm under the influence of alcohol.

A Jan. 20 News Leader search of records maintained by the Offices of the Sarasota County and Manatee County clerks of the Circuit Court found no prior records for Soles.

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