Felony charge for combative biker

Two state troopers restrain the suspect on Washington Street. Photos by Phil Custodio

A 32-year-old Springfield Township man faces a felony charge of resisting arrest, assault, and obstructing police after a low-speed chase through Clarkston, April 27.
The bicyclist was charged after elbowing a Michigan State Police officer in the head during a traffic stop on Washington Street at Holcomb Road. Afternoon commuters watched as the motorcycle officer tried to pull over the spandex-clad bicyclist on M-15 north of I-75, at about 4:30 p.m. last Wednesday.
The bicyclist ignored lights,siren, and commands, and continued riding south on M-15, taking a right on Washington Street before stopping at Holcomb Road.
“I tried to conduct a traffic stop for failure to stop for a traffic light,” the trooper said. “The subject continued southbound into Clarkston, disregarding signals to pull over.”
“It was a few seconds before the cyclist noticed him,” said a witness on the Clarkston News Facebook page. “The officer was trying to talk with him and tell him to pull over, but the guy just shook his head.”
Cory Johnston, who was walking in downtown Clarkston, saw them at Main and Washington Street, when the bicyclist turned onto Washington with the motorcycle officer in slow pursuit.
“The next thing I saw was them both off the road at Washington and Holcomb and a police car pulling up shortly afterward,” Johnston said.
After several orders for cooperation, the trooper was holding the bicyclist from behind when the man struck the helmeted officer in the head with his elbow and tried to run.
The officer wrestled the man to the ground. The bicyclist called to onlookers for help to “get this guy off me,” but they instead assisted the officer and helped call for backup.
The felony resist/assault/obstruct police charge is punishable by up to two years in prison. The suspect has been arraigned and released on bond.