A Vancouver man was arrested after he allegedly punched and kicked law enforcement officials and a police dog during an altercation Tuesday morning, authorities reported.
A passerby called 911 at about 5:15 a.m. to report a pedestrian in the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near Fourth Plain Boulevard, Washington State Patrol Sgt. Ryan Tanner said.
When a trooper responded, the man, later identified as 42-year-old Michael J. Boyd, punched the trooper in the face and then ran across the freeway a few times, Tanner said. The trooper was not seriously injured.
At one point, Tanner said, Boyd tried to steal the trooper’s vehicle.
Units from other agencies responded to assist in detaining Boyd, but he refused commands to show his hands, Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.
Officers had received reports that the man had a knife, and Tanner said the man dropped the knife before meeting the trooper and fleeing.
Police dog Tripp was deployed and bit Boyd, after which the police dog and suspect rolled down a berm, Kapp said. Officers followed, but Boyd continued resisting. During the altercation, Boyd reportedly punched Tripp and kicked an officer, Kapp said.
The officer suffered minor injuries, including a possible broken hand, and there were no obvious injuries to Tripp, Kapp said.
An officer deployed a Taser, though it had no effect on the suspect, Kapp said. Eventually, officers got the man into handcuffs and he was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.
Boyd was later arrested and booked into the Clark County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, harming a police dog, resisting arrest and an outstanding Department of Corrections warrant, police said.
Tanner said the State Patrol would recommend charges of third-degree assault and resisting arrest as well, along with attempted motor vehicle theft, possession of a dangerous weapon and failure to obey an officer.
