A Nassau County sheriff's deputy was arrested after a SWAT standoff Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.A Nassau County sheriff's deputy was arrested after a SWAT standoff Friday, Sept. 1, 2023.
A Nassau County sheriff's deputy was arrested after a SWAT standoff Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. | News4Jax

Nassau deputy jailed after SWAT standoff

Published on September 1, 2023 at 1:05 pm
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A Nassau County sheriff’s deputy was arrested early Friday after an overnight SWAT standoff at a home in the Wildlight community in Yulee, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Earise Ray Rhoden Jr., 49, remains jailed without bond on charges of aggravated assault and using a gun while under the influence, according to Nassau County Jail records.

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Sheriff Bill Leeper said a deputy was called to the home just after 10 p.m. Thursday in reference to a domestic dispute.

Rhoden, who had been drinking, tried to leave the house with a gun after an altercation with a family member, Leeper said. Deputies tried to calm the situation, but Rhoden fired shots, Leeper said. He also pointed the gun at a deputy and a Sheriff’s Office drone overhead, according to News4Jax, a news partner of WJCT News 89.9.

The Sheriff’s Office’s Special Response Team and Jacksonville’s SWAT were called out. After a six-hour standoff, Rhoden was taken into custody and jailed early Friday, then suspended without pay.

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Leeper said it was “deeply saddening” to have a deputy involved.

“I am thankful this incident was resolved peacefully and no one was hurt,” Leeper said in a statement. “Deputies are human and struggle with issues just like many others in our society.” 


author image Reporter, WJCT News 89.9 email Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years of experience in radio, television, and print reporting. He has worked at various stations in the Northeast and Jacksonville. Prior to joining the WJCT News team, Dan spent 34 years at The Florida Times-Union as a police and current affairs reporter.

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