Woman sleeping in car accused of attacking Cape officer

A Cape Girardeau police officer tried to wake up a local woman sleeping in her car in the middle of the roadway Friday afternoon. When she regained consciousness, she punched the officer in the face and tried to kick him in the groin, police said.

Cape Girardeau police arrested Tricia D. Mahurin, 26, of Cape Girardeau on Friday. The Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney’s office charged Mahurin with assault on a law-enforcement officer and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

Her bond was set at $25,000 cash or surety.

Mahurin’s vehicle was stopped about 5 p.m. in the middle of Gordonville Road during rush hour, Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. Adam Glueck said. Officers Tim Guemmer and Zachary Farley tried to talk to Mahurin and shook her, but she was unresponsive, Glueck said.

Guemmer entered the vehicle from the passenger side and conducted a sternum rub on Mahurin to awaken her, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Guemmer.

“It’s a medical technique — placing the knuckles against the sternum,” Glueck said.

Mahurin woke up, punched Guemmer in the face and tried to kick him in the groin, Guemmer wrote. Guemmer tried to grab her hand, and he struck her in the face with the heel of his hand, according to the statement. Glueck said all officer use-of-force incidents are reviewed by supervisors.

“Officers are allowed to defend themselves when they’re attacked,” Glueck said. “We’re not paid to be punching bags.”

Mahurin responded by spitting blood in Guemmer’s face and mouth, according to the statement. Farley removed Mahurin from the car and placed her in handcuffs, Guemmer wrote.

Guemmer saw an empty can of air duster on the front seat and several full cans of air duster, according to the statement.

“I believe she had been inhaling the air duster and passed out in the roadway,” Guemmer wrote.

Mahurin consented to have her blood drawn at the scene by an EMT and admitted to the other officer she had inhaled an air duster can and “did not know it would do this to her,” according to the statement.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: Gordonville Road, Cape Girardeau, MO