In an alarming turn of events, a former federal prosecutor linked to the early stages of a January 6 defendant’s case, was implicated in a stabbing incident following a highway vehicular mishap in Florida. The embroiled ex-prosecutor, named Patrick Scruggs, reportedly assaulted a driver involved in the accident on I-275 on September 26.
The incident was initially reported by witness Ahmed Gahaf, a Tampa resident who bore witness to the ensuing chaos. Gahaf recounted how he had stopped to assist a driver who seemed to be in distress, possibly due to a medical issue. As the driver regained consciousness, he abruptly surged forward, inadvertently colliding with Gahaf’s car before ramming into another vehicle in an attempt to maneuver around Gahaf’s car.
The second vehicle was reportedly occupied by 39-year-old Scruggs. After the collision, Gahaf relayed to CNN that Scruggs promptly exited his car and advanced towards the driver of the offending vehicle. Shockingly, Scruggs shattered the vehicle’s driver-side window and unleashed a knife attack on the disoriented driver, causing multiple stabs and cuts in the arm, as indicated in a Florida Highway Patrol arrest report.
Witness video footage depicts Gahaf attempting to intervene in the violent dispute, while concurrently seeking aid from emergency services over the phone. The footage captures Scruggs swinging his knife towards Gahaf, narrowly missing a direct hit to Gahaf’s chest.
Scruggs now faces severe felony charges that include armed burglary, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. His legal representation, John Nohlgren, appealed to the public to consider Scruggs’s commendable history of federal service and his absence of a prior criminal record.
Nohlgren asserted that the presented version of events does not fully encapsulate the complexity of the incident, implying that more relevant information might yet surface. He affirmed his commitment to unveiling a comprehensive account of the occurrence.
The revelation that Scruggs was the assailant had Gahaf in disbelief, given his strong assumption that a former federal prosecutor would naturally abide by the law.
Records reveal Scruggs was released on a $65,000 bond ten hours post-arrest. His legal career has spanned over a decade, during which he served as senior litigation counsel in Tampa’s Middle District of Florida US attorney’s office. Recently, he had moved to a private law firm in Atlanta.
Among his career highlights was his involvement in the early stages of prosecuting Adam Johnson, better known for his audacious theft of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s lectern on January 6. Following the incident, he was relieved of his duties from his current law firm, Barnes & Thornburg.
