A late February family dispute in Brooksville turned terrifying when a man allegedly grabbed a machete inside a home and threatened to kill relatives, telling them he would "slit their throats" and "cut their heads off." According to an arrest affidavit, the caller, her sister, and a child all told deputies they believed they were about to be killed. No one was physically injured.
Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 62-year-old Derrel Leonard Thomas just before 1:00 a.m. last Monday after a domestic-disturbance call. Investigators say the victim showed video of Thomas in the kitchen holding the machete. The affidavit states Thomas later put the blade outside near a garage doorway after learning law enforcement was on the way and that he declined to speak with deputies once they tried to question him, as reported by Tampa Free Press.
Thomas is facing two felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was booked into the Hernando County Detention Center. Public booking logs and a local mugshot index list a Derrel Leonard Thomas in custody in late February, lining up with the county’s account of the arrest, according to Hernando Sun.
Charges and legal stakes
Under Florida law, assault with a deadly weapon is classified as aggravated assault, a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 784.021. That level of charge can trigger sentencing under the state’s criminal code, with possible prison time and fines, as outlined in the Florida Statutes.
Context in Hernando County
Hernando County deputies have seen machete calls turn bloody before. In 2024, a separate Brooksville case involved a machete attack that left a victim seriously cut, a reminder of how quickly these incidents can escalate for families and first responders, according to local reporting from Hernando Sun.
Thomas is scheduled for his first court appearance on April 2 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom E at the Hernando County Courthouse, according to the arrest report. The sheriff’s office has not issued further public comment beyond what is in the affidavit, and the case is expected to move through the county court system, per Tampa Free Press.
