SANFORD, Fla. — 5:30 p.m. Update:
A Seminole County jury found Rocky Rudolph guilty of multiple charges including: attempted manslaughter, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, fleeing attempting to elude, as well as others on Wednesday.
Rocky Rudolph is accused of dragging a deputy with his SUV during a traffic stop in 2019.
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A jury began deliberating Wednesday in the case of a man accused of trying to kill a former Seminole County deputy.
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The defense rested its case Wednesday morning after only calling one witness -- the defendant himself.
Rocky Rudolph is accused of dragging a deputy with his SUV during a traffic stop in 2019.
Rudolph told the jury Wednesday that he remained calm until the conversation turned toward a marijuana smell in his vehicle.
He also told the jury that he thought the former deputy was about to let him go before he started to question him about the smell.
Rudolph said the deputy’s demeanor turned aggressive and he began to get scared, and that’s when his fear instincts kicked in.
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He said once the deputy leaned into the window and grabbed the seatbelt, he panicked and it caused him to drop the SUV into drive.
He told the jury he wasn’t trying to kill the deputy or even hurt him.
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