A Florida man who bit off a portion of a deputy’s scalp while attending a music festival last spring has pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and faces prison.
James Michael Anderson, 37, was among those arrested at Sol Fest, an EDM music and arts festival held in Ponce de Leon, Florida, in early May 2024.
WJHG, a local CBS affiliate, covered the chaotic scene at the time, including Anderson’s arrest on charges of biting an unnamed Holmes County Sheriff’s deputy on the head, tearing off part of his scalp and exposing his skull.
Anderson was also accused of attempting to remove the deputy’s firearm from its holster. According to Holmes County Chief Prosecutor Jacob Cook, Anderson later complained that “he had hair in his teeth.”
In a press release, Cook stated that the deputy’s injury was “the most severe bite wound I have ever seen in my career as a prosecutor.” The deputy has since recovered and returned to work.
Cook stated that he was prepared to go to trial and would call the injured deputy to testify before Anderson entered his plea. According to reports, Anderson’s attack left the deputy with “significant scarring”.
According to WJHG, 68 people were arrested at last year’s Sol Fest, the majority for drug possession, including marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, mushrooms, and MDMA (also known as molly).
Sol Fest drew over 10,000 people last year, according to State Attorney Larry Basford’s press release. According to WJHG, a Sol Fest staffer was among those arrested, and the mayhem resulted in new outdoor gathering ordinances and legal action against the event’s promoter.
Anderson was arrested on May 5, 2024, and charged with aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced by a judge to six years in prison and ten years of felony probation.
