TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Attorneys for an ex-federal prosecutor accused of stabbing a man after a crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge filed a motion to dismiss the case Tuesday, claiming stand your ground.

According to court documents, attorneys argue that Patrick Scruggs, a former assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, was trying to protect himself and others when he stabbed a 35-year-old driver on the bridge on Sept. 26, 2023.

Witnesses reported seeing the driver stopped on the bridge, which connects Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, around 9:25 a.m. amid heavy traffic. Initial reports from the Florida Highway Patrol said a couple pulled over to check on the driver after noticing him slumped over in his vehicle.

The driver eventually woke up, and quickly accelerated, striking the back of the couple’s car, troopers said. He then backed up and tried to drive off, but in doing so, officials said the 35-year-old struck Scruggs’ vehicle as the former prosecutor was passing by.

According to Scruggs’ attorneys, the impact caused all three vehicles to become wedged together. It was at that time that the couple who had stopped to check on the driver called 911 to report there was an impaired driver on the bridge, court documents state.

Scruggs got out of his vehicle carrying a small pocketknife, which attorneys said he intended to use to break the driver’s window and pull him out of the car or turn off his vehicle. Scruggs yelled at the driver to get out of the car, but when he didn’t comply, attorneys said he broke the driver’s window.

A struggle ensued with Scruggs trying to unlock the door from the inside of the vehicle. The court documents claim that the driver tried to accelerate “as if to push through the two vehicles blocking his path” before Scruggs began stabbing him through the driver’s side window.

“At the time that (Scruggs) used force, he was in fear that (the driver) would continue
in his efforts to escape the scene, which could have resulted in (the driver) striking (Scruggs) with his vehicle,” attorneys wrote.

Scruggs’ attorneys claim that he was also concerned by what might happen if the driver, who appeared to be heavily intoxicated, kept driving on the bridge amid heavy traffic.

Troopers initially reported that Scruggs also tried to attack the couple who had pulled over when they tried to intervene. However, there was no mention of that in the motion filed Tuesday.

A St. Petersburg officer who was driving by stopped, detained Scruggs and assisted the 35-year-old driver. According to court documents, the driver testified in his deposition that he didn’t remember the incident due to suffering a diabetic episode. He also denied having consumed any intoxicating substances.

Attorneys said medical records show that the driver’s blood sugar was measured when he arrived at a hospital and his blood-sugar level was normal. According to Scruggs’ attorneys, law enforcement did not request or obtain a blood urine sample for toxicology testing.

Court documents indicate that the driver was on probation at the time of the incident for reckless driving, a charge which Scruggs’ attorneys say was reduced down from DUI.

Scruggs is facing charges for aggravated battery, aggravated assault, and burglary of an occupied convenience as a result of the incident.

A hearing is set for May 2 on the stand your ground motion.