A Lakeland man is in jail facing charges in connection with breaking Polk County's open burn ban and later threatening first responders and Polk Sheriff Grady Judd with bodily harm on Tuesday.

  • William Anderson has neighborhood reputuation for 'strange behavior'
  • Anderson set fire to garbage bag, threatened firefighters who came to put fire out
  • Sheriff Judd: "I'll shoot you graveyard dead if you pose a reliable threat to me."

Polk County firefighters showed up to the home of William Anderson on Christy Lane Tuesday morning after Anderson set trash on fire in his backyard. When they tried to put the fire out, he threatened to shoot them, and to shoot Judd in the head.

Anderson has a reputation in the neighborhood for "strange behavior" according to neighbor Ricky Stinson, and had warned his wife and children to stay clear of him.

"Had a baggie and a timer, salt and pepper and some other stuff talking about Korea was going to bomb us this that and another, and left it out there by the road," said Stinson. "Then he went across there talking about the Bible and this that."

Stinson pointed to Anderson setting the fire as proof that the reputation is earned.
 
"They know there's a burn ban in," said Stinson. "Why would they even try that?"
 
Judd wasn't overly concerned by Anderson's alleged threat, saying he's threatened by criminals on a regular basis.

"Don't really be serious about threatening me." said Judd.  "Because I'll shoot you graveyard dead if you pose a reliable threat to me."
 
Judd said Anderson might receive a mental health evaluation while in the Polk County jail.