Man charged after cops try to cuff him in his sleep

A Florissant, Missouri, man got a rude awakening when Cape Girardeau police officers placed him in handcuffs Wednesday morning, police said.

Officers arrested Jordan Yeargin, 22, about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

He faces charges of second-degree assault on a law-enforcement officer, misdemeanor assault on a law-enforcement officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

Officer Tanner Hiett and Sgt. Darren Estes responded to resident Kesha Luster, who asked the officers to remove Yeargin from her twin bed, according to Lt. Rodney Barker.

Luster knew Yeargin but she said he came over unannounced, was drunk and passed out, Barker said.

In most instances, Cape Girardeau officers lead people out of residences when they are asked to leave rather than place them in handcuffs, Barker said.

Yeargin was trespassing and had been drinking, however, so Hiett and Estes decided to try to place him in handcuffs while he was asleep, Barker said.

“Sometimes it’s safer to handcuff them while they’re asleep,” Barker said. “As you can see from what happened afterwards in this case.”

Hiett applied one handcuff to Yeargin’s left arm, and Yeargin woke up, trying to flail his arms, Hiett wrote in a probable-cause statement.

Hiett maintained control of Yeargin’s left arm as the three of them struggled, according to the statement.

Estes then Tased Yeargin in the chest, but Yeargin refused to comply with demands, Hiett wrote.

Hiett asked Yeargin to “give us your hand” four times, but Yeargin responded by saying he did not have anything, according to the statement.

While Yeargin was on the ground, he attempted to bite Estes in the thigh, Barker said.

Eventually, officers wrestled control of both of Yeargin’s arms, and he was taken into custody without further incident, Hiett wrote.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

3185 Santiago Drive, Florissant, Mo.