PONCE DE LEON, Florida – A Florida man who assaulted a deputy at the SolFest electronic dance music festival by attempting to seize his gun and biting his head has been sentenced to six years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
James Michael Anderson, 37, of Westville, pleaded guilty to Aggravated Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer on Friday before Holmes County Circuit Court Judge Russell Roberts. The judge sentenced Anderson to six years in prison, followed by ten years of felony probation.
The incident occurred on May 5, 2024, at the SolFest EDM festival in Ponce de Leon, where Anderson attacked a Holmes County Sheriff’s Office Deputy. The bite was so severe that it exposed the deputy’s skull, and Anderson reportedly remarked, “I had hair in my teeth.”
The deputy was providing security at the festival, which attracted approximately 10,000 attendees over the weekend, when Anderson launched the unprovoked assault. Authorities reported that Anderson was under the influence of multiple substances, including PCP, LSD, ketamine, psilocybin mushrooms, and ecstasy.
“Violence against our law enforcement officers will not be tolerated, and those who choose to commit such acts will face justice,” said Holmes County Chief Prosecutor Jacob Cook. “This is the most severe bite wound I’ve encountered in my career, and the defendant will now spend years in prison for his actions.”
The deputy has since recovered, though with significant scarring, and continues to serve with the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office.
