COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater City Police say a man was tazed by officers during a struggle this past weekend.
The incident occurred Saturday night outside a home on Munson Street. 20-year old Devon Barnett of Hillsdale was arraigned yesterday in Branch County District Court on 3 counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer as well as a charge of possession of methamphetamine.
According to police, Barnett was driving a car that was pulled over on a traffic stop on US 12 near Pierson Street. Officers said the ID he presented indicated he was a juvenile and being underage, police policy required Barnett be taken to the Public Safety building. An older woman who was riding in the car at the time of the traffic stop told officers she was Barnett’s aunt and he was released to her custody pending the filing of formal charges.
A short time later, a man who said he was Barnett’s ex-step father called police and said Barnett had used his younger brother’s name and that his step son was actually 20-years old and the woman in question was not his aunt and she lived on Munson Street. When officers arrived, the two suspects were outside the home and Barnett made a run for it. Police say he fought with officers and was eventually subdued and taken into custody around 9:40 p.m. Saturday, more than 2 hours after the traffic stop.
Barnett, who has a previous meth conviction from Hillsdale County, is being held on a $60,000 cash or surety bond with his next court appearance for a probable cause hearing set for November 22, 2017.
