An intoxicated Akins Pond Road man who fired shots into the air because his neighbor barked at his dogs ended up behind bars last week and a deputy was injured in a struggle that ended when another deputy deployed a Taser to subdue the offender.
      According to Bulloch County Sheriff's reports by Deputy Charles Anderson, a man called the sheriff's office Friday night after his neighbor, Michael Todd Finch, 34, Akins Pond Road, fired shots in reaction to the neighbor harassing his dogs.
      Finch was belligerent and argued with Anderson and Deputy Mark Guarino, telling them they needed to go speak to the neighbor. He admitted firing shots as a warning because he was "tired of the neighbor messing with his dogs." He said the neighbor "howled" at his dogs.
      Deputies spoke to the neighbor, who admitted he" did bark at the dogs and told them to go home," since they were in his yard, reports stated.
      Finch's "demeanor and commentary was very confrontational and provoking in nature," Anderson said.
      When deputies told him they needed to speak to him and had already spoken with the neighbor, Finch cursed at the deputies.
      Anderson and Guarino then decided to arrest Finch on reckless conduct charges. Finch, who was on his porch, resisted arrest, snatching away and trying to go inside the home, Anderson said.
      Finch struck Anderson across the face and shoulder, "ripping my shoulder microphone from the left hand side of my uniform shirt," he stated. This ripped he microphone from the shirt and Anderson was unable to call for help, he said.
      "My lip was busted and bleeding on the inside of my mouth, as well as my eye glasses bent," he said.
      Afraid Finch was going for his gun inside, Anderson "grabbed Finch about his upper body in order to prevent him from
possibly reaching the firearm. During the struggle Finch and I went to the floor of the porch," he said.
      Finch still resisted, kicking and striking at both deputies, so Guarino deployed his Taser. "Finch continued to resist, kicking and attempting to swing his arms after the Taser completed its cycle. "
      Deputies were able to handcuff Finch, but then saw Angela Shai Waters Deal, 34, of the same address, standing in the doorway. When deputies ordered her to go back inside, she cursed him, reports stated.
      Deal fled when deputies tried to handcuff her as well. Guarino chased Deal into the house when she fled, and she struggled when he handcuffed her. As he walked Deal to the patrol car, Finch threatened the deputies with bodily harm, Anderson said.
      Deputies collected 10 shell casings from a 9 mm Ruger and found the gun with a magazine of 10 live rounds inside the home, he said. A live round was also in the chamber.
      "As I was collecting the gun from inside the home, I noticed a small boy," Anderson said. "He appeared to be frightened and upset. " The boy, Deal's son, was taken to his father.
      Finch was charged with felony obstruction of an officer with violence, simple battery on a law enforcement officer, discharging a firearm while under the influence, interference with government property and reckless conduct.
      Deal was charged with obstruction, simple battery on a law enforcement officer, and obstruction of an officer with violence.
      Both were taken to the Bulloch County Jail, where they await further court and bond hearings, reports stated.

Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.