Oak Harbor man jailed after allegedly hitting cop

A 38-year-old Oak Harbor man is accused of assaulting a deputy during a roadside fight in North Whidbey, according to court documents.

Prosecutors charged Jeremy R. Suttles in Island County Superior Court Oct. 12 with assault in the third degree, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Suttles pleaded not guilty Nov. 5.

On Oct. 9, deputies with the Island County Sheriff’s Office and an Oak Harbor police officer responded to a 911 report that a staggering man was walking in the middle of the road and directing traffic at the intersection of Fort Nugent and Zylstra roads.

Oak Harbor Police Officer Mel Lolmaugh arrived and found the man, later identified as Suttles, lying in the roadway. The man got up, swore at the officer and started walking away after Lolmaugh shined a spotlight on him, according to court documents.

Two deputies and a reserve deputy arrived at the scene and tried to talk to Suttles, but he ran from them. Sgt. Mike Beech ran and knocked Suttles out of the busy road; when they collided, the suspect’s handgun flew out and landed on the street, according to Beech’s report.

A deputy yelled “gun” and the others started fighting with Suttles on the side of the road.

Suttles allegedly struck Beech multiple times in the head and face, according to the report.

It took a Taser “application” and four officers several minutes of struggling to get Suttles’ hands cuffed. It took a total of six officers to place Suttles, kicking and resisting, in the patrol car, Beech wrote in his report.

 

Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.

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