LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man is behind bars after deputies say he tried to free horses from a local ranch.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says ranch owners reported several horse stalls were open and horses were loose.
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As the horses were being corralled, the owners told deputies they saw a man driving the owner’s truck, according to the sheriff’s office.
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One of the owners was able to stop the man, identified as Mark Anthony Hunt, and detain him until deputies arrived.
Authorities say when the owners asked Hunt why he opened the stalls, the 55-year-old told them that he didn’t believe the horses should be caged. The Fruitland Park man also told the owners he tried to mount one of the horses and ride it home but it got away from him, according to deputies.
The sheriff’s office says the horses are valued at $20,000 and $80,000 each.
Deputies took Hunt into custody. He was booked into the Lake County Detention Center on burglary, grand theft auto and grand theft charges. His bond is set at $15,000.
On the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, a post about Hunt concluded with the hashtags: #wannabecowboy, #busted, #dontdrinkandtrytorideahose and #especiallybareback.
Overnight, security at a local horse ranch reported to the owners that several horse stalls were open and horses were...
Posted by Lake County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, January 20, 2021
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