Duncan police say pepper spray took down man

DUNCAN — A Washington State man is in jail for allegations he punched through a police officer’s window before being repelled with pepper spray.

Kirk Michael Hernandez, 35, of Vancouver, Wash., made his initial appearance Tuesday in Stephens County District Court where he received a felony charge of attempting to perform an act of violence as well as misdemeanor counts of malicious injury to property, resisting police and public intoxication, records indicate. The felony count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Duncan Police Officer Olaf Hanson stated he responded shortly after 11:45 p.m. Saturday to the area of North 15th Street and West Elm Avenue on a disturbance. A woman said she saw a man lying in the roadway and she stopped her vehicle to check him before he got up and began yelling at her and chased after her, forcing her to get back in her vehicle and drive off, the probable cause affidavit states. She said the man walked off with a woman with two dogs on a leash.

Sgt. Bryan Eads found the woman with the dogs behind a business at 328 S. U.S. 81. When he got out of his vehicle to speak with her, a man later identified as Hernandez stood up off a bench and ran toward him while shouting threats, Hanson stated. After the officer locked inside himself his patrol unit to deescalate the situation, Hernandez punched the window with his fist, shattering the glass before swinging again at the officer’s face, the affidavit states. The officer responded by spraying Hernandez in the face with pepper spray.

Hanson arrived to find Hernandez on the ground and screaming in pain. He was able to get one handcuff on the agitated man who kept the other hand under his body, Hanson stated. The officer was able to handcuff Hernandez and put him in the back of his patrol unit but had to put him in leg restraints after he tried to kick out the window, according to the affidavit.

Held on $50,000 bond, Hernandez returns to court at 9 a.m. Dec. 13 for his preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.