By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 28-year-old Perkins man accused of biting a Stillwater police officer on his right forearm has been ordered to appear in court on April 1 on a felony charge of assault and battery on a police officer.
If convicted, Jared Adam Perkins, who remains free on $5,000 cash bond, could be imprisoned for as long as five years, court records show.
Perkins was arrested at 5:14 pm on Jan. 11 at a gas station on N. Perkins Road, according to an affidavit by Stillwater Police Sgt. Sherae LeJeune.
Stillwater Police Officers James Droescher and Roger Osiek had been sent to the gas station at 4:35 pm on a civil dispute in which a customer “attempted to drive away from the gas pumps after fueling but was blocked in by a white vehicle backing into the pump in front of him,” the affidavit alleged.
The officers “attempted to reason with both parties to resolve the issue, but they still refused to leave,” so after speaking with management, “it was determined the best course of action was to issue both parties a warning for trespassing,” the affidavit alleged.
Droescher contacted the driver of the white vehicle, who “refused to roll down the window or exit the vehicle to be identified and warned,” the affidavit alleged.
“Eventually, Droescher and Osiek decided to break the glass in order to access him. Osiek told Droescher he was going to retrieve his gloves from his patrol unit before breaking the glass.
“Osiek walked toward the front driver’s side of the vehicle to get to his patrol unit that was parked approximately ten yards from the suspect vehicle. The driver suddenly accelerated forward at a high rate of speed cutting off Osiek’s pathway, nearly striking him,” the affidavit alleged.
The officers were unable to locate the suspect, but at 5:10 pm he returned to the gas station and began fueling at a north pump, the affidavit alleged.
“Droescher went to contact Jared to place him under arrest as he had previously obstructed and nearly struck an officer with his vehicle,” but the suspect pulled away from Droescher, who “tackled Jared to the ground in front of a vehicle at a pump. Jared moved onto his back and tried to strike Droescher with his fists.
“Osiek mounted on top of Jared. He pinned Jared’s left wrist to the ground near his head with his right hand. Jared then bit Osiek on his right forearm. Osiek delivered closed fist strikes to Jared’s head until he stopped biting. Since Jared continued to fight officers, I delivered a short drive stun to Jared’s thigh with my taser, but that did not change his behavior,” the sergeant alleged in her affidavit.
After a struggle in which the suspect refused to stand up, “He was picked up and placed into the back of a patrol vehicle,” but at the city jail, “he was still acting out of control and placed in the restraint chair,” where LifeNet evaluated his injuries and medically cleared him, the affidavit alleged.
“The bite wound on Osiek’s arm had broken the skin causing it to bleed. It immediately began to bruise and swell. Osiek responded to the Stillwater Medical Center Emergency Room for an exposure evaluation and treatment for the wound.
“Later, I transported Jared to the SMC ER for a blood draw as the source patient of the wound. While in the exam room, Jared explained the events leading up to the police response. He claimed he was trying to get fuel, but (the other customer) would not move,” the sergeant alleged in her affidavit.
After cautioning him if he spoke about events involving police, she would need to read him his rights, “Jared opted not to speak any further about the incident,” the sergeant alleged in her affidavit.
