Dunnellon man arrested during Homosassa traffic stop

On July 19, at 10:57 pm, Maurice Antoine Townsend, 35, of Dunnellon, was arrested by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office during a traffic stop in Homosassa for failing to maintain a single lane. The vehicle was searched when a K9 made a positive alert, and deputies found a digital scale with cocaine residue. Townsend got into a physical altercation with deputies when they atttempted to take him into custody, and a taser was utilized to control him, as well as a K9 (canine). Townsend was transported to an area hospital but refused to be hospitalized for his injuries. He was charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, malicious harm of a law enforcement animal, resisting an officer with violence, battery of a law enforcement officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia ($18,000 bond); and violation of his felony probation due to the arrrest (no bond).