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Teen Burns & Spits In Face Of Van Buren County Police Officers

Posted at 8:49 PM, Apr 07, 2014
and last updated 2014-04-07 22:12:29-04

GENEVA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A teenager was jailed on a variety of charges, including assaulting a police officer with a cigarette Monday afternoon.

At 2:52 p.m. Monday, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a possible assault in progress in the 700 block of 67th Street in Geneva Township. During the investigation, it was determined that Eric Thomas Murphree, 19, of Grand Junction and a 39-year-old South Haven man had gotten into a verbal argument that progressed to Murphree physically assaulting the victim.

Upon deputies and other police arriving at the scene, Murphree was combative and resisted arrest during the officers’ initial contact with him. During the struggle, Murphree burned a sergeant from the South Haven Police Department with a cigarette.

While Murphree was being taken to a police car, he began resisting again and spit in a deputy’s face.

The South Haven police officer was treated at the scene by ambulance personnel.

Murphree was transported to the South Haven emergency room where he was treated for minor injuries.

Murphree was jailed on charges of minor in possession of alcohol, domestic assault, resisting and obstructing a police officer, and aggravated assault on a police officer. Murphree is being held on $25,000 cash or surety bond.