Richmond Police observed a male subject allegedly passed out on the front porch of an East Main Street home early Sunday morning.
According to the citation, the officer attempted to wake the man, William Lawson, by shining his flashlight on him and yelling at him. When neither action worked, the officer proceeded to shake Lawson’s arm which woke him up.
Reportedly, Lawson’s pupils were constricted, his speech was slurred, and he was unable to lift his head. When asked if he lived at the residence, Lawson stated that he did not and that he was “just resting”.
After the officer attempted to place Lawson under arrest for public intoxication, Lawson allegedly refused to cooperate and began running away from the officer.
The citation later states that after removing his shirt while running, the suspect fell down a small hill onto North Fairview. When Lawson stood back up, he reportedly became aggressive with the officer and raised his fists up towards him.
These actions prompted the officer to draw his taser and advise Lawson to get on the ground. When the suspect proceeded to turn around and start running, the officer deployed the taser which struck Lawson in the back.
Lawson was treated by Emergency Medical Services, before being transported to the Madison County Detention Center. He was charged with Public Intoxication with a Controlled Substance, Menacing, Resisting Arrest, and Evading Police 2nd Degree.
