Man assaults officers during death investigation
Sep 3, 2012, 1:47 PM | Updated: 1:47 pm
A Phoenix man was arrested after allegedly assaulting a police officer during an investigation into a fatal collision involving a pedestrian.
Police said Darlene Brown was struck by a vehicle and killed near Dunlap Ave. and 35th Ave. on Sunday. It appeared from where she was found by police that Brown had been standing in the roadway.
As officers investigated, Samuel Cooper, whose mother was a friend of the dead woman, allegedly was acting erratically and struck a man who attempted to restrain him from approaching the body.
Officers attempted to restrain Cooper, who allegedly removed his shoe and used it as a weapon.
“Mr. Cooper actually swiped one of the officers,” said Phoenix Police Officer James Holmes. “He backs away, pulls off one of his tennis shoes and hits him.”
Cooper fled the scene, but was apprehended shortly after in the parking lot of a nearby convenience store. He allegedly attempted to resist arrest.
While police were escorting Cooper to a vehicle, two suspects, Kiyana Hammond and Doris Valenzuela, allegedly attempted to pull him away from officers.
Both Hammond and Valenzuela were arrested for resisting arrest.
Cooper was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer.
No charges are expected to be pressed against the driver.
