Bollinger Co. man faces felony for spraying fire extinguisher in officer's face, injuring him

A Sedgewickville, Missouri, man was taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital after he sprayed a fire extinguisher into the face of a Jackson police officer and sprayed the extinguisher dust in the booking room at the station, police said.

The Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney’s office filed an arrest warrant Wednesday for 24-year-old Seth Robert Seymour.

Seymour was charged with second-degree assault on a law-enforcement officer, property damage and misdemeanor stealing.

Jackson police and the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s office representatives said Seymour was not in custody Thursday.

Jackson police first interacted with Seymour about 11:30 a.m. April 4 with a report a person was running in and out of traffic and another report of shoplifting at the Murphy USA gas station on East Jackson Boulevard, according to a probable-cause statement filed by officer Robert James Rose.

A Jackson lieutenant arrived on the scene and placed Seymour in restraints after Seymour refused to follow his commands, Rose wrote.

The lieutenant talked to the clerk at the gas station, who said Seymour told her he was going to take a drink from the cooler even though he did not have any money, according to the statement.

Seymour was taken to the police station and secured by his ankle to a bench in the booking area, Rose wrote.

After Seymour told Rose he was God and wanted to be informed of his birth date, Rose contacted Community Counseling, according to the statement.

Dispatchers observed Seymour moving around on the bench. When Rose opened the door to the booking area to tell him to stop, Seymour discharged the fire extinguisher in his face, causing temporary blindness, disorientation and breathing problems, Rose wrote.

Seymour continued to discharge the extinguisher, causing damage to a Breathalyzer and live-scan fingerprint, Rose wrote.

Rose shot Seymour with a Taser to get him to stop, according to the statement.

Seymour was taken to Southeast Hospital for a mental evaluation and then transferred to another medical facility, according to the statement.

The probable-cause statement was dated June 20.

Jackson police and Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney Frank Miller — who filed the charges against Seymour — could not be reached for comment on why charges were not filed earlier.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

525 S. Hope St., Jackson, Mo.