Suspect tries to flee from courthouse; taser drawn.

By Allison Scarbrough. OCP Editor.

HART — A suspect who failed to appear for a pretrial hearing in 27th Circuit Court Tuesday may face an additional felony charge of resisting and opposing police following a scuffle with an Oceana County bailiff deputy and a courthouse security guard Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 24, according to Oceana County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Craig Mast.

Barnes

Jason Marshall Barnes, 36, of 1670 S. 186th Ave., Hesperia, faces felony charges of larceny $1,000-$20,000 and receiving and concealing stolen property $1,000-$20,000 and did not appear for his pretrial hearing Tuesday in 27th Circuit Court. Judge Anthony A. Monton issued a bench warrant for his arrest and increased his bond to $50,000 cash/surety.

When Barnes showed up at the courthouse the next day, he was informed by the bailiff deputy that there was a warrant for his arrest, and Barnes disagreed, Mast said. When the deputy advised that he was being placed under arrest, Barnes tried fleeing the courthouse, the lieutenant said.

“The deputy advised him to stop and pursued him on foot. The deputy caught up with him near the security guard at the front door and ordered him down.”

A short struggle ensued on the ground with Barnes continuing not to cooperate, Mast said. An on-duty security guard drew his taser and assisted in restraining Barnes. The guard just aimed the taser and didn’t actually deploy it, Mast said.

Barnes was then lodged in the Oceana County Jail for failure to appear, and an additional charge of resisting and opposing police is pending review by the prosecutor’s office.