Woman arrested after crashing into CCSO cruiser
ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville Beach woman was arrested after she crashed a stolen car into a Clay County Sheriff’s Office cruiser on Interstate 295 on Dec. 22.
Laila Amy Assar, 29, was charged with grand theft auto, attempting to flee and elude a police officer and possession of drug paraphernalia after a sheriff’s office deputy responded to a stolen car report and tried to stop her on Blanding Boulevard. According to the arrest report, Assar stopped in the IHOP parking lot and a man was either “pushed or thrown” from the car. She then drove away, losing control and spinning 360 degrees on Blanding.
She “weaved in the lanes” during the chase and she attempted to enter I295 southbound. But she lost control again, hitting a guardrail and then into the CCSO cruiser. The car was reported stolen in Duval County on Dec. 20.
Her bond was set at $78,260.

Jacksonville man jailed for fighting with sheriff deputy
ORANGE PARK – A 31-year-old man was arrested on Dec. 22 after he wrestled and threw punches at a Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was responding to a call for a suspicious person at Asbury United Methodist Church.
Eric Ryan Dougherty, of Jacksonville, was charged with battery on a police officer, resisting arrest with violence, loitering or prowling and providing police with a false name after he tried to run from a deputy after throwing a cordless drill at him. The deputy tried to gain control after Dougherty tripped and fell onto Blanding Boulevard, but the man continued to throw punches, according to the arrest report.
The deputy eventually used is Taser. Dougherty stood up and pulled one of the taser probes out of his back and he kicked the deputy before he was forcibly taken to the ground.
Although Dougherty was found with a drill and screwdriver, deputies said there was no evidence of any burglary attempts at the church.
Dougherty’s bond was set at $37,509.