BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — A Pilgrim man was arrested Tuesday after a naked outburst on Big Peter Cave Road.

Around 9 a.m., Chief Deputy Chris Kidd of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a man standing outside unclothed and screaming into the air. The officer arrived to find 53-year-old Harlan Jude of Pilgrim naked and shouting that he was God and would take everyone to hell.

Upon noticing the police, Jude ran up an embankment and charged toward the deputy’s cruiser yelling he was going to “take us both to hell.”

“[Jude] squared off in an aggressive stance and continued to ignore verbal commands,” Kidd said.

Deputy Kidd deployed a Taser in an attempt to subdue Jude. However, Jude pulled the prongs from his stomach and chest and fled down the road with the deputy in pursuit.

Jude then turned and advanced on Kidd, who used both soft and hard empty-hand techniques to restrain him. During the struggle, Jude transferred bodily fluids onto the deputy’s arms.

Once outside the booking room in Inez, Jude slipped his handcuffs to the front and became combative again. After being subdued, police escorted the still-nude Jude into the building.

Emergency medical services evaluated and cleared Jude before he was transported to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center.

He faces multiple charges, including public intoxication-controlled substance (excludes alcohol), menacing, resisting arrest, assault of a police officer, fleeing or evading police, and escape.