Cape police officer tangles with fleeing suspect

A Cape Girardeau man allegedly fled from a police officer, leading to a foot chase and a physical altercation involving the officer's Taser.

A release from Cape Girardeau Police Department indicates an officer conducted a traffic stop for an alleged traffic violation shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, near the intersection of South Spanish and Merriwether streets.

During the stop, the officer learned the driver, Joshua Patton, 36, has two outstanding warrants from other law enforcement agencies. He removed Patton from the vehicle and tried to put handcuffs on him.

The release says Patton resisted, struck the officer and fled on foot. The officer deployed one set of Taser probes that failed to contact Patton. Patton ran into a confined area, and the officer was able to strike Patton with another set of Taser probes. Patton continued to resist as the officer tried to handcuff him, and during the struggle, gained control of the officer's Taser. He pointed it at the officer and pulled the trigger. Both became tangled in the Taser probes, sending the Taser's electricity through them.

Other officers arrived at the scene and took Patton into custody.

The release says officers searched the vehicle Patton was driving and located one firearm with an extended magazine and several suspected drugs — approximately 4 grams of methamphetamine, 24 grams of crack cocaine and 5 grams of unidentifiable tablets.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has charged Patton with a number of felonies — armed criminal action, second-degree assault (special victim), third-degree assault (special victim), disarming a peace officer while performing official duty, resisting/interfering with arrest, delivery of a controlled substance (two counts), unlawful use of a weapon (possessing a weapon and a felony controlled substance) — and misdemeanor second-degree property damage.

As of Monday, Patton was being held in Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office jail in lieu of $252,000 bond.