A Vancouver man who allegedly punched and kicked law enforcement officers and a police dog told authorities he was high on ketamine and methamphetamine at the time and didn’t like their flashing lights, court records show.
Michael J. Boyd, 42, appeared Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of third-degree assault on an officer, attempted theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a dangerous weapon, failing to obey an officer and resisting arrest following the Tuesday morning altercation on Interstate 5.
Boyd also has a warrant for escaping community custody and has been identified by police as a white supremacist, according to court records.
The Washington State Patrol received several reports shortly after 5 a.m. of a man walking in the northbound lanes of I-5 near East Fourth Plain Boulevard.
A trooper responded, but the man, later identified as Boyd, ran across the freeway to the southbound shoulder. The trooper approached Boyd again and ordered him to the ground. Boyd ignored his commands and resisted being detained, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.
During the struggle, the trooper shocked Boyd with a Taser weapon, but Boyd broke the device’s wires. He then got to his feet and attempted to get into the trooper’s patrol car. The trooper slammed the door on Boyd before he got completely inside, the affidavit said.
Boyd was shocked a second time, but it apparently had no effect on him. The trooper wrestled him to the ground, and Boyd punched him in the face, court records said.
The trooper then drew his firearm. Boyd threw his hands in the air and began to walk into the southbound lanes of I-5. He repeatedly yelled, “(explicit) your gun!” He jumped the center median and ran across the northbound lanes to the shoulder, according to court documents.
Vancouver police responded to assist.
Vancouver Police dog Tripp was deployed and bit Boyd, after which the K-9 and Boyd rolled down a berm, according to Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp. Officers followed, but Boyd continued resisting. He reportedly punched Tripp and kicked an officer, Kapp said.
An officer deployed a Taser, though it had no effect, she said. Officers eventually got Boyd into handcuffs.
Boyd was physically restrained and transported via ambulance to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center for injuries to his arm and head, the affidavit said.
After Boyd was arrested, the trooper subsequently found a 5-inch knife that Boyd had apparently dropped, the affidavit said. The trooper later drove himself to a hospital, where he received three stitches to his lip.
The Vancouver officer suffered a possible broken hand and other minor injuries, and there were no obvious injuries to Tripp, Kapp said.
On Wednesday, Judge Gregory Gonzales set Boyd’s bail at $125,000 and appointed him a defense attorney.
He will be arraigned April 20.
