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Police use taser on Kent resident
Man tased while his Crain Ave. home burns
Sarah Steimer
Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: News
Police used a Taser gun to restrain a resident outside of his home on Crain Avenue as it burned at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
The resident, Mike Bartlett, said he was returning from downtown for his cell phone when he noticed his sister's room on fire. He ran in to make sure she was not there and continued to find his friends in the basement and alert them of the fire. He said his cousin's girlfriend was sleeping upstairs so he went back in the house to retrieve her.
"As I was running downstairs, I could hear the window glass popping because of the heat," Bartlett said.
When he went got outside, Bartlett said police officers were at the end of the driveway. He said he approached them for help, but they dismissed him. As he walked toward one of his friends, he said the officers tackled and restrained him with the Taser gun, giving them no reason for their force.
According to the Kent City Police levels of resistance report, Bartlett used psychological and physical active resistance to avoid arrest. The report stated he was both combative and intoxicated. No one from the Police Department was available for comment.
Bartlett said he was not offered medical attention by the officers. Instead, he was taken directly to the police station. Bartlett went to the hospital following his court appearance Sunday. He said he was treated for first- and second-degree burns.
Bartlett's trial is set for December. The Red Cross helped the displaced family of four, which does not include any Kent State students. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Contact public affairs reporter Sarah Steimer at ssteimer@kent.edu.
The resident, Mike Bartlett, said he was returning from downtown for his cell phone when he noticed his sister's room on fire. He ran in to make sure she was not there and continued to find his friends in the basement and alert them of the fire. He said his cousin's girlfriend was sleeping upstairs so he went back in the house to retrieve her.
"As I was running downstairs, I could hear the window glass popping because of the heat," Bartlett said.
When he went got outside, Bartlett said police officers were at the end of the driveway. He said he approached them for help, but they dismissed him. As he walked toward one of his friends, he said the officers tackled and restrained him with the Taser gun, giving them no reason for their force.
According to the Kent City Police levels of resistance report, Bartlett used psychological and physical active resistance to avoid arrest. The report stated he was both combative and intoxicated. No one from the Police Department was available for comment.
Bartlett said he was not offered medical attention by the officers. Instead, he was taken directly to the police station. Bartlett went to the hospital following his court appearance Sunday. He said he was treated for first- and second-degree burns.
Bartlett's trial is set for December. The Red Cross helped the displaced family of four, which does not include any Kent State students. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Contact public affairs reporter Sarah Steimer at ssteimer@kent.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 106
wtf
posted 11/03/09 @ 5:17 PM EST
What was he arrested for? They guy's house was on fire... I'd imagine he'd be a little upset...
Mark
posted 11/03/09 @ 5:25 PM EST
I was just reading an article on lawfirms.com about police being over aggressive and taser happy across not only the US, but even in Canada:
http://www. (Continued…)
James
posted 11/03/09 @ 8:32 PM EST
This is the freedom I served in the military for? The right to be tasered for saving family and friends from a burning building? Ohio should be a seperate country. (Continued…)
WOW ,,, just wow
posted 11/03/09 @ 9:17 PM EST
I mean come the f*** on!!! How many of these events have to happen till people learn?? It's bloody obvious something needs to be done and it needs to be done FAST! These moron cops seem to be nothing short of 'Gunslinging Sherifs' which are causing nothing but havoc and have this idea that they rule the world. (Continued…)
Scott
posted 11/03/09 @ 9:47 PM EST
Kent must have a rule to only hire the most dickfaced applicants as cops. As a former student, I can see things have not changed much since my graduation in '05. (Continued…)
Dan
posted 11/03/09 @ 11:08 PM EST
Didn't you people read the article. He used psychological resistance. The police were forced to taser him before he exploded their brains with his mind powers. (Continued…)
Jeff Little
posted 11/03/09 @ 11:15 PM EST
>This is the freedom I served in the military for?
No you were just stupid to join the Military
FTL
posted 11/03/09 @ 11:48 PM EST
Stay Classy Ohio.
?, Michigan.
Ken Sander
posted 11/04/09 @ 12:23 AM EST
F*ck you Jetdawgg
Jimbo
posted 11/04/09 @ 12:27 AM EST
Is it vigilante time yet?
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