“Don’t Tase Me Bro”

Suspect Slapped with Four Felonies, Three Misdemeanors  

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – Jarvis Dashun Handsborough, a 29-year-old Crockett resident was arrested and charged with four felonies and three misdemeanors following an incident which occurred on Monday night, Aug. 21.

According to an arrest report, Crockett Police Department Lt. Lonnie Lum and Officer Jeffery Dean were on patrol Monday night when they initiated a traffic stop on a Ford 500 vehicle for no front license plate, defective equipment and failure to signal within 100 feet of a turn.

The report stated the vehicle did not come to a stop immediately but continued “… south on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, at a slow rate of speed. The vehicle finally came to a stop in front of 213 MLK, Jr. Blvd. As soon as the vehicle stopped, the front seat passenger bailed out of the vehicle and took off running towards the old train depot and railroad tracks in a southerly direction.”

Lum began a foot pursuit of the suspect while Dean stayed with the Ford and the additional occupants of the vehicle.

As Lum chased the suspect, the arrest report indicated he momentarily lost sight of him.

“I continued cautiously and a short time later, I located the suspect hiding in the weeds and brush along the track. I drew my department issued X26 Taser and commanded the subject to roll onto his stomach,” the report stated.

Instead of complying with the police lieutenant’s commands, the suspect “… got to his feet and tried to run. I warned the subject he was going to be Tased if he did not stop, but he still wouldn’t listen. I then deployed the Taser into the suspects back, striking him near the buttocks and his shoulder blade,” the report stated.

The legal document indicated the suspect fell to the ground, but continued to resist when Lum tried to place him in handcuffs.

Lum informed the suspect if he did not stop resisting, he would be Tased again.

“The suspect refused to listen and continued to try and pull away and tried to stand up. At this time, the suspect was drive stunned to attempt to further gain control. This did not work and the suspect grabbed my Taser and began trying to take it from me,” the report indicated.

A fight over the Taser ensued as the suspect attempted to wrest control of the weapon away from Lum “… and at one point the suspect was able to turn the Taser in my hand and deploy it into my right forearm.”

The fight continued and the arrest report stated the suspect was eventually to get to his feet, but Lum was able to “… grab the suspect’s leg and then push him forward. I heard the suspect fall in the brush in front of me and not move.”

Lum radioed for backup and Houston County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Thomas Shafer arrived on location moments later. Shafer located the suspect and he was restrained.

After the suspect was medically cleared, the HCSO transported the suspect to the Houston County Jail where he was identified as Jarvis Dashun Handsborough.

Meanwhile, the arrest report indicated Dean “… had located a semi-automatic handgun that the suspect had thrown during the foot pursuit. The suspect was also found with a holster fitting the weapon, attached to his belt.”

The handgun had previously been reported stolen.

Handsborough was booked into custody on seven charges. These charges were: evading arrest (Class A misdemeanor); felonious possession of a firearm (third degree felony); theft of a firearm (state jail felony); resisting arrest (Class A misdemeanor); assaulting a public servant (third degree felony); taking or attempting to take a weapon from a peace officer (third degree felony); and failure to identify (a Class B misdemeanor.)

According to Section 12.34 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Section 12.35 of the Texas Penal Code states, “An individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony shall be punished by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days. In addition to confinement, an individual adjudged guilty of a state jail felony may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

An individual adjudged guilty of a Class A, according to Section 12.21 of the Texas Penal Code, “… shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $4,000; confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year; or both such fine and confinement.”

A Class B Misdemeanor is punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000; confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days; or both such fine and confinement, according to Section 12.22 of the penal code.

Handsborough is being held at the Houston County Jail on a total bond of $140,000

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

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