In an incident that unfolded late in the evening on August 28, 2023, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a potentially suicidal individual, leading to the arrest of a man on multiple charges including grand theft of a firearm and aggravated assault.
The incident began when a concerned individual placed a call to the Lake County communication center requesting a well-being check on a man identified as William Fogg. The caller indicated that Fogg had allegedly threatened to harm himself with a firearm and was acting erratically in front of their children.
Upon arrival at the location in Altoona, FL, law enforcement officers encountered Fogg and promptly detained him for further investigation. The situation appeared to have stemmed from a domestic dispute involving Fogg’s girlfriend and an altercation that took place earlier that day.
The girlfriend provided her account of events, stating that upon her return from a vacation, she found Fogg waiting outside their residence in a new truck. What should have been a routine arrival quickly escalated as Fogg confronted her aggressively. He reportedly entered her vehicle, grabbed a firearm from the center console, and threatened her with it. She emphasized that she never gave Fogg permission to take the firearm, nor did she want him in possession of it. According to her statement, Fogg even chambered a round and held the firearm to his own head, making suicidal remarks.
Other individuals present during the incident corroborated elements of her account, underscoring the tense and dangerous situation that unfolded. A subsequent search of the residence led to the discovery of the firearm in question, a Smith & Wesson .380. The firearm was recovered with four rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
As a result of the investigation, William Fogg was arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail without further incident. The charges against him include grand theft of a firearm, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill in a domestic context, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
