Fan shocked with Taser by officers at The Players Championship

Drinking and golf didn't mix for a Jacksonville man attending The Players Championship on Friday.

Travis Parmelee, 36, was shocked with a Taser and arrested after becoming belligerent with hole marshals and St. Johns County sheriff's deputies. He was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest without violence.

Capt. Dave Messenger of the Sheriff's Office said marshals on hole No. 11 called police around 5 p.m. to deal with a man who was being uncooperative and argumentative. Messenger said the suspect would not calm down and became even more belligerent when talking with police officers.

When police tried to arrest the suspect, he resisted and officers were forced to Tase him to subdue him, Messenger said.

"We try to get people to comply," Messenger said. "Oftentimes if they comply, we'll make them leave. That's our goal."

Messenger said the man had been drinking.

Police were dispatched to deal with another troublesome fan shortly after Parmelee's arrest, but Messenger said the fan immediately calmed down when officers arrived and agreed to leave the tournament peacefully. He was escorted out.

"I'd rather do that [than arrest someone]," Messenger said.

The PGA Tour released a statement reiterating its position of not tolerating any unruly behavior at any tournament: "The Tour's position is and has always been that anything that disrupts the competition or the enjoyment of our fans will be dealt with accordingly, as was the case today."

http://jacksonville.com/sports/golf/2010-05-07/story/belligerent-fan-tased-sheriffs-deputies-players-championship-friday