Tuesday, May 4, 2021 - A Vian man was arrested April 23 and charged with assault and battery on a police officer, court records show.
Danny R. Craighead, 62, faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $500 or both if he is convicted on the felony count. He is due in court at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 12.
On April 23, a Sequoyah County Sheriff's deputy was on patrol on U.S. Highway 64 near the Illinois River when he saw a man walking west across the river bridge. The man, later identified as Craighead, appeared unsteady on his feet and he was waving his arms and swinging his fists as he walked. As the deputy passed Craighead, he could hear the man yelling and cursing.
When the deputy made contact with Craighead, the man said he was angry because his car broke down and he was headed to town to get fuel. He said he had left his identification in his vehicle but provided his name and date of birth. A check with dispatch revealed that Craighead had a valid warrant out of Lincoln County, so the deputy attempted to arrest him.
He told Craighead to place his hands on the hood of his patrol vehicle. The deputy began patting down Craighead, who reportedly kept turning around to look at the officer and taking his hands off the hood. The deputy then asked Craighead to place one of his hands behind his back. Craighead responded by jerking out of the deputy's grasp, spinning to his left and hitting the deputy on the jaw with his fist.
The deputy then wrapped his arms around Craighead and fell with him to the grass, away from oncoming traffic, rolling two or three times down the embankment. The deputy then was able to turn Craighead on his stomach and handcuff him.
Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer
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