Man Charged For Allegedly Assaulting, Disarming Officer at Bloomfield Jo-Ann Fabrics

A Pontiac man faces seven felony counts for allegedly sparking a scuffle with multiple Bloomfield Township police officers at the store Tuesday evening.

Marleaux Milton Webb, 24, was charged Wednesday at with multiple counts of assaulting and obstructing a police officer and assault with a dangerous weapon, as well as single counts of assaulting an officer resulting in injury, and disarming an officer.

He remains at the Oakland County Jail without bond and is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing next week.

Officers responded to the store about 6 p.m. after receiving calls from employees about a man who was wandering and acting strangely in the store for roughly two to three hours, reports said. He was reportedly wearing a tan jacket and leopard print socks without shoes and appeared to have blood coming from a wound on his arm, according to the arrest warrant read aloud in court Wednesday.

Two officers found the man, later identified as Webb, sitting in the sewing area on the store's second floor. He initially told officers he was involved in a "crash down the road" and became very agitated when officers said they were not aware of any crash and told him to leave the store.

Upon further questioning, he allegedly became violent and physically confronted the officers, who called for backup.

A third officer arrived and drew a Taser gun. During the struggle, Webb allegedly pulled on the handgun holster on that officer's belt and pulled it away from the officer's body until the officer dropped the Taser to secure the handgun, the warrant stated. 

As the struggle continued, Webb made another attempt for the weapon and removed it from the holster while the other officer beat on his arms with a baton. One officer grabbed both of Webb's hands and eventually had to bite Webb to get him to drop the weapon, according to the warrant.

Webb then broke free and jumped to the first floor before running out of the front door. Officers chased him through a wooded area about a quarter-mile away and arrested him without further incident. He was not injured.

One of the officers suffered non life-threatening injuries and was admitted to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Oakland overnight, Chief Kirt Bowden said. That officer was released Wednesday morning and a timetable for the officer's return to work was unknown.

No shoppers were injured and the store closed a few hours early Tuesday as detectives investigated the incident.

Ernestine Thornton of Southfield arrived shortly after police lined the store entrance with caution tape.

"I was just a quarter-yard of fabric away from finishing a quilting project for a baby in the family, but I guess I won't finish it today," she said, disappointed.

The store maintained regular business hours today.

Webb told Magistrate Julie Nelson-Klein that he understood the charges and would try and hire his own attorney.

"I have a few scratches, but I'm fine," he said when Nelson-Klein asked about any medical conditions. Webb was surrounded by officers and had his hands shackled to a belt fitted around a special white jail jumpsuit. He said he was a licensed real estate agent and independent business owner that involved organic products. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Court officials said Webb was on probation for a 2007 arrest on marijuana possession and attempting to assault an officer in Saginaw County.

Magistrate Julie Nelson-Klein denied bond after agreeing with detectives that Marleaux posed a threat to the public.