Florida man arrested for threatening utility workers restoring power after Hurricane Milton

FLORIDA (ABC NEWS) — A man was arrested Wednesday for threatening utility workers who were restoring power in Hillsborough County, Florida, following mass outages caused by Hurricane Milton, according to officials.

Crews were working on a road repair when the man allegedly verbally threatened them and drove his vehicle toward them in an intimidating manner.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as 57-year-old Kenneth Ray Velasco.

When the incident occurred, a power line crew was working on a road that was closed for repairs, creating a traffic delay. The man was in his vehicle and grew impatient.

He backed into a utility pole and fence, causing an estimated $1,000 in damage, according to official reports, and then attempted to flee the scene.

When the linemen tried to prevent him from leaving, he drove toward them in a deliberate manner that caused them to jump out of the way and also threatened to shoot them, officials said.

“We’re grateful no one was seriously hurt, and this suspect will face the full extent of the law for his egregious crimes,” the sheriff said.