Man Arrested for Assaulting Officer - Just as Police Were Trying to Let him Go

RACINE -- A 21-year-old man has been charged after kicking and injuring a police officer in a violent display - just as officers were trying to let him go.

Racine police responded to a report of a hit-and-run accident late Tuesday near the intersection of N. Memorial Dr. and Maple St.

As officers investigated, they found Cerrell D. Walker shouting loudly just down the block, and determined that he matched the description of the suspect, his complaint said. He was taken into custody and observed to be in an intoxicated state, but after police determined there wasn't enough evidence to officially consider him a suspect in the accident case, he was about to be released without further incident.

As officers were about to release Walker, he reportedly began to shout obscenities at the officers, prompting officers to hold him for an extended period of time, police said.

Officers reported that Walker was not calming down, and that the presence of police officers appeared to be increasingly agitating him. When police attempted to remove the handcuffs from Walker, he reportedly acted in an aggressive manner, and officers felt an assault was imminent, his complaint said.

As a result, officers took him to the ground and put Walker back in handcuffs. Walker reportedly alternated between thrashing his body and going completely limp in an effort to confound officers and resist going to jail, his criminal complaint said.

At one point, Walker violently kicked and injured one of the officers as he was fighting with police, who were attempting to place him in the police transport wagon.

According to the complaint, Walker tried pushing the door of the wagon open with his legs as officers were forcing him inside. An officer picked up one of Walker's shoes and struck the top of his foot twice before he finally pulled his foot back inside the doorway, allowing police to shut him inside the vehicle.

Walker, 21, Racine, has been charged with battery to a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, and resisiting an officer. If convicted of all of the charges against him, Walker could face up to four years behind bars.

Walker was initially held in the Racine County Jail on a $750 cash bond. His next appearance in court is Oct. 5.

Image: Racine County Jail