Police: Man kicked officer, damaged camera

Dan Holtz, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read

Apr. 24—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man resisting arrest damaged an Altoona police officer's body camera and a squad car, authorities say.

The man also used a woman's credit card that was taken from her stolen vehicle to pay for a hotel room, police said.

Nathan D. Stevens, 37, was charged Friday in Eau Claire County Court with felony counts of battery to a law enforcement officer, identity theft and bail jumping, and misdemeanor counts of concealing stolen property and criminal damage to property.

A $1,000 signature bond was set for Stevens, which requires him to maintain absolute sobriety.

Stevens returns to court on June 1.

According to the criminal complaints:

Altoona police officers were called to a report of a vehicle parked in a driveway on Garfield Avenue. A man said the vehicle was in his driveway and he didn't know who the vehicle belonged to.

Two officers saw a vehicle pulling out of a driveway in that area and attempted to follow the vehicle.

When the vehicle turned onto Second Street West, the female driver got out of it and fled on foot. She was apprehended a short time later.

The driver told officers that Stevens had also been in the vehicle and may have a gun on him.

The driver said Stevens was chasing her with the gun at one point.

An officer saw a man crossing backyards on Garfield and Hayden avenues. The man was eventually cornered by officers and identified as Stevens.

Officers found a BB gun on Stevens.

Stevens resisted officers' attempts to get him into a squad car. At one point, he kicked an officer in the chest, causing the officer pain and damaging his body camera.

Stevens also damaged the emergency lights on the squad car.

Officers searched Stevens and found a T-Mobile portable Wi-Fi hotspot that belonged to the Chippewa Falls school district.

In the credit card case, an Eau Claire police officer was assigned to follow up on a stolen vehicle case on April 6.

The victim said when she got her vehicle back, her credit card was missing. It had been used to rent a room at an Eau Claire hotel.

The owner of the hotel said the card was used by Stevens, who had smoked in the room and was being charged an extra fee.

Stevens was free on bond for a pending felony case in Eau Claire County.

If convicted of the new felony charges, Stevens could be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.