Madison police officers wrestled with a man during the early morning hours of Aug. 17 after receiving a report of a man who would not leave a residence.
Marcus Jerard Johnson, 21, of Lawrenceville, now faces charges of obstructing or hindering law enforcement officers.
According to incident reports, Sgt. Travis Stubbs and Officer Amanda Brown responded to a Morgan Circle address at approximately 3 a.m. after a third domestic violence report at the residence in the last 10 days.
Stubbs had been involved in both prior incidents and knew Johnson had an outstanding probation warrant through Morgan County.
Stubbs and Brown searched the perimeter and then went to the front door. A woman opened the door and pointed to Johnson, who was sitting in a living room chair.
Stubbs told Johnson to stand up and place his hands behind his back so he could arrest him on the warrant, but Johnson fled toward an exit door. Johnson and Stubbs scuffled as the police officer tried to prevent Johnson from leaving.
Stubbs used his taser in the drive-stun mode for one five-second cycle, according to the report, but Johnson still would not comply with commands to stop resisting.
As the struggle continued, Stubbs saw a knife clipped inside the front of Johnson’s waistband.
Stubbs made Brown aware that Johnson had a knife, and Johnson attempted to grab the knife with his right hand despite calls from officers to stop.
Brown was able to remove Johnson’s hand from his waistband, grab the knife, and throw it outside of the immediate area.
Stubbs then aimed his taser at Johnson’s lower left torso and fired one cartridge, which was allowed to operate for one five-second cycle. Johnson fell to the floor and was placed in handcuffs by Brown and Sgt—Christopher Lash of the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, who had just arrived.
According to the incident report, Johnson remained verbally defiant and resisted officers as he was taken to a patrol vehicle for transport to the Morgan County jail.
The woman who pointed out Johnson said she had not been physically harmed in the incident and said that Johnson refused to leave the residence, which belonged to a relative.