Scott City man scheduled for preliminary hearing in July

A Scott City man who allegedly struck a police officer with his vehicle while fleeing a sobriety checkpoint appeared in court Tuesday.

Mikell Abraham, 28, of Scott City is charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and driving while suspended in connection with the June 1 incident, according to court documents.

Abraham appeared via video conference before Judge Scott Horman for his initial arraignment. He told the court he was not aware of what he was being charged with.

After Horman read his charges, Abraham was told he qualified for a public defender and will return to court July 15 for a preliminary hearing.

After Abraham was pulled over, Scott City police officer Kenneth Massa realized Abraham was driving on a revoked license and called for assistance in arresting him, according to a probable-cause statement.

When Massa opened the driver's side door and ordered Abraham to get out of the vehicle, Abraham put the car in gear and slammed the door on Massa's right knee as he drove away, the statement says.

Scott County deputies and Cape Girardeau police officers followed in a pursuit that ended in Cape Girardeau.

Abraham eventually was taken into custody by the Cape Girardeau Police Department and taken to the Scott County Jail, where he remains on a $5,000 cash-only bond.

Massa was evaluated by medical personnel but was not seriously injured. Scott City police chief David Leeman said Massa twisted his knee and was back to work on light duty pending a follow-up appointment.

Abraham's criminal history dates to October 2004, when he was found guilty of assault of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest in Cape Girardeau County, according to court documents. He was sentenced to 60 days in the county jail and placed on probation for five years.

In August 2005, he failed to report for probation and was given a 10-day jail sentence. In December 2005, another warrant was issued for failure to report for probation and failure to submit to DNA testing. The court revoked Abraham's probation and sentenced him to six months in jail.

In July 2006, Abraham was found guilty of failure to appear in Scott City and later arrested for driving while intoxicated and driving while revoked in Scott City, according to the probable-cause statement.

In August 2006, he was found guilty of driving while intoxicated and driving while revoked in Oran, Missouri, where he was sentenced to 90 days in jail, the statement said.

In September 2007, Abraham was arrested on suspicion of driving while revoked in Cape Girardeau, according to the probable cause statement.

In June 2008, he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance in Cape Girardeau County, where he was sentenced to seven years in the Department of Corrections, according to online court records. The sentence was suspended and the court ordered Abraham to serve five years of probation.

In March 2009, after he absconded from probation, the court ordered Abraham's previously imposed sentence of seven years to be executed, according to court documents.

Abraham pleaded guilty to third-degree domestic assault in April 2009. He was given a 60-day jail sentence.

In September 2010, he pleaded guilty to driving while revoked and failure to submit to a chemical test in Cape Girardeau County and was sentenced to 15 days in jail.

On Feb. 27, Abraham was arrested on suspicion of driving while revoked in Scott City. A bench trial related to that incident is scheduled for July 1, also before Judge Scott Horman.

skluesner@semissourian.com

388-3648