Assault suspect taken into custody after fleeing scene
A suspect wanted for assault and larceny was taken into custody Thursday, Jan. 12, after fleeing the scene and engaging in a physical altercation with Mount Pleasant Police.
35-year-old Flint native Jeffrey Barnes was found by a Mount Pleasant Police officer on the railroad tracks near Cherry Street’s dead end, located less than a mile from Central Michigan University, on Thursday morning, according to the press release sent by Public Information Officer Jeff Browne.
Two other officers arrived at the scene soon after, according to Brown, and all spoke to Barnes, but he refused to comply their request, “assumed a fighting stance” while approaching them, then started taking of clothing while yelling at the officers, according to the statement.
Barnes charged at one of the officers – who then deployed a Taser – ensuing a struggle between the suspect and the two other officers present, but Barnes was eventually taken into custody, the press release states.
Mount Pleasant Police first heard word of the suspect when they received a 911 call that was hung-up at 10:45 a.m. Thursday from a cellphone located near the home of 1000 Lyons Street. The caller, a 32-year-old Mount Pleasant woman, contacted 911 after she and Barnes – who had a domestic relationship together according to the report – got into a hostile altercation inside a truck located in close proximity with the Lyons Street home, according to Browne and the press release.
The report states that the altercation escalated, causing Barnes to exit the truck and hit the vehicle with a shovel, according to the report. He then grabbed some kittens off of the porch of the Lyons Street home and threw them in a nearby snowbank. It was soon after this that the 32-year-old female called 911 with her cellphone, according to Browne.
The victim was not able to speak to dispatch, however, because Barnes took the cellphone from her. Despite this, MPPD responded to the scene because the residence had a history of domestic violence, Browne said.
About a minute after the hang-up call, a 31-year-old female witness – who lived with the victim at the Lyons Street home – yelled out to Barnes she was calling the police and locked the door of the Lyons Street residence. While she called 911, Barnes broke the door down of the home, assaulted the victim took her phone and medication, the press release states.
In addition, the suspect broke both the victims’ cellphones, according to the statement.
Although Barnes attempted to take the keys of the victim’s vehicle, he was unable to, and fled the scene on foot. When police arrived to the scene, Barnes had already fled, but was found and taken into custody by Mount Pleasant Police within the hour, Browne said.
Barnes was arraigned Friday on charges of home invasion, larceny, interfering with electronic communications, possession of a controlled substance, three counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, animal cruelty, malicious destruction of a building, malicious destruction of personal property and assault, according to the statement.
The suspect’s bond is set to $110,000 at 10 percent. He is being held at the Isabella County Sheriff’s Department and has no scheduled court appearances as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Isabella County Inmate Information System.
