Beach Panic: Man Arrested for Wielding Giant Drill in Shocking Incident

A man in Florida has been accused of threatening beachgoers with a drill and an umbrella, allegedly shouting, “I’m going to kill you.”

Yacov Levi, 50, faces serious charges, including attempted aggravated battery and battery on a law enforcement officer, both classified as felonies, along with a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. Levi appeared in Miami-Dade County court for the first time on Friday.

The incident took place on Wednesday at a beach behind a condominium complex on Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida, just north of Miami Beach. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Levi requested to use a beach chair but was denied access because he was not a resident.

Following the refusal, Levi allegedly became aggressive, seizing a beach umbrella and attempting to strike someone with it. Soon after, authorities reported that he grabbed a drill and charged at a man while making death threats.

Witnesses claimed that Levi chased one man away before targeting another, with several people observing him running with the drill across the beach, as detailed in the court documents.

The Surfside Police Department responded to reports of a man brandishing a drill and threatening beachgoers. Upon arrival, officers found Levi seated on a beach chair, holding a drill equipped with a large sand-digging bit.

The encounter was captured on an officer’s body camera and shared by local independent outlet WPLG.

Officers raised their Tasers to Levi and ordered him to put his hands up and get on the ground. He was handcuffed and arrested, but not before he allegedly drilled into a beach chair, causing about $500 in damages.

Officers observed the drill, which is several feet long with its attachment.

Levi had been arrested at the beach before, the TV station reported. In 2023, officers arrested him for allegedly trying to steal a jet ski while naked. The case was later dropped.