Dancing man in undershorts tased, jailed in Albany

ALBANY — A man wearing just his boxer shorts was tased in south Albany Thursday and taken to jail after trying to enter a police car.

Patrolman Rogelio Diaz with the Albany Police Department responded around 9 p.m. to the intersection of South Madison Street and Newton Road on reports of a “running naked man,” Diaz said in a statement. Diaz stated that on arrival he found the suspect, later identified as Charles Edward Burns III, “dancing” around the intersection clad only in red boxer shorts.

According to Diaz’s account, when the officer was some 20 feet from Burns, the officer activated the lights and sirens on his patrol car and exited the vehicle. Once Diaz was out of the car, Burns began walking toward the officer, Diaz said, ignoring repeated commands to stop, and at one point giving Diaz an obscene gesture with his finger.

As Diaz backed away from the suspect, Burns attempted to enter the patrol car through the drivers side door, Diaz stated. Diaz once more ordered Burns to stop and when the suspect continued to ignore the command, the officer deployed his Taser, striking Burns in the back with both prongs, Diaz reported, and the suspect fell to the ground.

According to Diaz’s report, EMS was dispatched and Burns was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in handcuffs, where he was heard to repeatedly mumbled that he had “smoked some weed” and that he was allergic to it.

Burns was later taken to the Dougherty County jail and is charged with public indecency and obstructing or hindering law enforcement.