CLARA CITY - A man who allegedly struck a sheriff's deputy who was attempting to subdue him faces a felony charge of fourth-degree assault.
Wayne Thomas Popp, 41, of Clara City, made his first appearance on the charge Sept. 17 in Chippewa County District Court in Montevideo.
The complaint alleges that Clara City police officers and a Chippewa County sheriff's deputy began pursuing Popp at 8:45 a.m. June 8 after receiving reports that he was running around the streets of Clara City wearing only black shorts, and no shirt, socks or shoes, and acting erratically. An initial call to police indicated he was attempting to do so something with gas and or gas pumps.
Officers saw him get into a parked vehicle not his own, get out, and then run to the squad of Chippewa County Sheriff's Deputy Shawn Joyce. The defendant allegedly got in, shut the door, but got out and ran around again. He opened the front door of the squad, grabbed a folder and threw it on to the ground. He ran to the back side of the squad, and while running back to the front, allegedly reached out and hit officer Joyce in the face.
The defendant was tased by a Clara City police officer and handcuffed but continued to resist efforts to subdue him. The officer refused medical care.
