A Gainesville man is accused of trying to strangle a deputy at the Hall County Jail.

William Russell Wheelis, 52, had been arrested for loitering in East Hall about 1:30 a.m. Monday and was taken to the Hall County Jail.

“Once inside the jail, he became combative, refused to follow deputies’ commands and struck one deputy in his face then placed his hands around the deputy’s neck attempting to strangle him,” Hall County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Scott Ware wrote in an email.

Ware said Wheelis was subdued and booked into the jail.

Wheelis faces a felony obstruction charge, two counts of misdemeanor obstruction and the loitering charge.

The alleged loitering incident occurred in the 3700 block of Old Cornelia Highway.