When an Oconee County Sheriff's deputy used a Taser to subdue a trespassing suspect Sunday, he became entangled in the wires and was shocked in the process.

According to an incident report, Sgt. James Hale was dispatched to 2330 Atlanta Highway around 11 a.m. to investigate a report of a man trespassing on the CSX Railroad.

As he was arriving, Hale said in the report, he saw a man pick something off the side of the railroad and throw it at a CSX vehicle on the other side. On scene the man "was yelling about how CSX disrespected his family and that he was on private property," and the deputy told him the property belonged to CSX and that the man was trespassing, according to the report.

After the man ignored Hale's commands to leave the railway, "continued to yell and talk in a loud and boisterous manner" and refused to place his hands behind his back, Hale said he drew his Taser and told the man he would use it if the man did not comply with his orders. 

Hale wrote in the report that the man "then made an [a]brupt move to place his hands in his pockets and I told him to take his hands out of his pockets and put them behind back his back as I pointed my taser at him. He then made a motion to turn and run away from me so I fired my taser striking him in the upper left chest." 

Hale said neither of the probes lodged in the suspect's skin, instead dangling around his arms. Hale became entangled in the wires as he wrapped his arms around the man, and he pulled the Taser's trigger again. Both men were shocked in the process, and Hale said he was able to get ontop of the suspect as they fell to the ground, place him in handcuffs and get him into a patrol car.

Keith Lee Patrick, 29, of Bogart, was taken to the Oconee County Jail where he was treated and booked, Sheriff Scott Berry said, and Sgt. Hale was doing fine.

Patrick was charged with criminal trespass and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, both misdemeanors.

Chief Deputy Lee Weems said it is believed the Taser malfunctioned and they were looking into the exact cause.

Subscribe to Oconee Patch’s free newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.