Investigators recovered guns and marijuana in safe inside doctor's home

Winter Haven - A Winter Haven physician is hospitalized under guard after deputies say he choked his wife and threatened to shoot several other doctors at a clinic where he worked.

On Tuesday, Polk County deputies took Dr. Joseph Anthony Bergnes into protective custody under the Baker Act.

According to the arrest affidavit, Bergnes and his wife Carol got into a heated argument on November 21. The affidavit says she wanted to call 911 over her husband's "odd behavior and strange comments." Deputies say Bergnes became irate, grabbed his wife around the neck and "applied pressure" to keep her from calling 911.

Deputies say on November 23, Joseph Bergnes threated his wife as they drove to see his physician. According to the arrest affidavit, Bergnes threatened to hurt his wife and "cut off her fingers" if she told the physician about their problems.

Officers say he also told Carol Bergnes that if he lost his job at Gessler Clinic, he would go to a meeting and shoot an attorney and two physicians.

Officers say Bergnes had already been told that he would have to seek treatment for his mental illness in order to keep his job. The arrest affidavit says Dr. Bergnes is "currently under treatment, however he refuses to take the medication prescribed by his physician."

During an interview with deputies, investigators say Carol Bergnes told deputies her husband owned a variety of weapons and she was afraid he would "carry out his threats to shoot his colleagues."

Officers say the wife opened a personal safe inside their home where investigators recovered guns and 73.5 grams of marijuana. Dr. Bergenes was taken into custody under the Baker Act and transported to Winter HavenHospital.

According to the arrest affidavit, Bergenes was charged with Possession of Marijuana, Battery by Strangulation (Domestic Violence) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.