An Izard County man, 35-year-old Jimmy Lewallen of Melbourne, has been charged with felony battery and numerous misdemeanor offenses following an altercation resulting in him kicking out the glass of a patrol car.According to the probable cause affidavit, the incident began on the morning of April 23rd when Izard County deputies responded to a report of a reckless driver passing through numerous yards, spinning donuts and making ruts. The caller advised a female had been chased by the driver with his truck.Officers located the vehicle next to a barn at a residence along Fairview Street in Melbourne. As Sergeant Steve Davidson attempted to take the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Lewallen, into custody, he was distracted by a female who ran into the yard and began screaming obscenities. Davidson looked away from Lewallen to watch the irate female, allowing the Melbourne man to jerk free of the grip of a second officer and strike the sergeant in the face.
Lewallen refused to comply with orders from the officers and began moving to the back of the residence. While one officer struck the suspect twice with his baton, he still refused to comply, leading a second officer to engage an electronic control device.
Handcuffed, Lewallen became aggressive, yelling for officers to kick him in the head, tase him and to kill him. He told officers he had just taken a bunch of pills and needed to see a doctor.
Officers placed Lewallen in a patrol car, at which time he began trying to kick out the back glass window. He was successful in breaking the rear driver side window.
Lewallen was transported to the Izard County Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
A check with the Arkansas and National Crime Information Centers indicates Lewallen’s driver’s license has been expired since 2009, and he had a parole violation warrant for his arrest.
He has been charged with felony battery, along with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, criminal mischief, reckless driving, disorderly conduct, and not having a driver’s license.
His bond was set at $25,000.
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