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Man Accused of Rigging Front Door in Attempt to Electrocute Pregnant Wife

Flagler County Sheriff's Office

He changed his Facebook status to "widowed," reports said.

A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly attempted to electrocute his estranged, pregnant wife by rigging the front door of their home.

Police said Michael Scott Wilson, 32, attached a car battery charger to the deadbolt lock handle of their Palm Coast home in attempt to kill his 29-year-old wife Ashley Wilson.

If Ashley Wilson had inserted the key into her house door and grabbed the handle, an electric shock would have been sent through her upper body, police said.

On Tuesday, after Ashley Wilson told her stepfather, Jon Flositz, that her husband had warned her not to let children touch the front door, Flositz became suspicious and went to the home to check it out.

He called authorities and when they arrived, police said the door was barricaded and there were burn marks near the handle. A sheriff’s deputy kicked in the door, producing a large spark, reports said.

Police found an elaborate rigging that included two chairs, a child’s high chair, a shower rod, blue tape, electrical cords, wiring and a car battery charger with clamps, reports said.

“This is one of the most bizarre domestic violence cases I have seen in my career,” Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said of the alleged plot. “Not only did this man plan to electrocute his wife, but he could have injured a deputy or any person attempting to enter this residence.”

On Wednesday, Wilson also changed his relationship status on Facebook to “widowed,” according to reports.

Wilson was found Thursday in Knoxville, Tenn., and taken into custody.

He has been charged with two counts of attempted aggravated battery on a pregnant person and one count of grand theft of a firearm.

His estranged wife told police her husband has been having mental health issues for a few months. He was hospitalized under the Baker Act, which allows someone to be mentally evaluated against their will, in November.

Wilson is currently being housed in the Knox County Detention Facility in Tennessee on $150,000 bail and will be extradited to Flagler County in Florida, reports said.

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