The man accused of injuring an Allegan County Deputy during an arrest was arraigned Monday afternoon.
Christopher Gerou faces five felony charges, including assault with intent to murder. According to Prosecuting Attorney Myrene Koch, Gerou is a “violent habitual fourth offender.”
“Looking at the seriousness of the offense, the number one charge the defendant is charged with is assault with intent to murder. The victim in this case is severely injured,” Koch said in court.
She requested that Gerou’s bond be set for $100,000. “We do believe that Mr. Giroux, based upon all of this, would be a significant flight risk. And there is nothing that would be tying him to the Allegan County area.” she added.
Gerou spoke out in court– disagreeing with the prosecutor’s statement.
“I lived here my whole life. I've always helped everyone. I've always, I was a janitor...” he said before Magistrate Daniel Norbeck interrupted.
“You haven’t had a conviction since 2014. This is a very serious offense, but it's been a decade. We're gonna leave it at $10,000,” Norbeck said.
According to court documents, the 35-year-old was allegedly speeding without headlights in a Dorr Township neighborhood, before he was stopped by a deputy.
“He had determined that it appeared as though the individual may be intoxicated, began investigating that and requesting a backup from Michigan State Police, a trooper arrived,” Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker told FOX 17.
Gerou was asked to perform a sobriety test, which he failed. When the deputy tried to give him a breath test (PBT) , he refused.
The deputy then tried to arrest him, but Gerou hit him in the head, and he fell to the ground. The deputy was knocked unconscious.
“We do train our deputies, obviously, in defensive tactics and how to protect themselves. But sometimes, even no matter how much training you do, things can happen so quick, so fast, that you don't have time to react,” the sheriff said.
Gerou was arrested by the Michigan State Police Trooper, who pulled out a taser to get him to comply. While Gerou was laying on the ground with the taser pointed, documents reveal he said, “I hope he’s dead.”
The deputy suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed with swelling. However, Sheriff Baker told FOX 17 that the deputy is showing signs of improvement.
“We're hoping that maybe in the next couple of days, he’ll be able to be released from the hospital,” he said.
Gerou is scheduled to be back in court Sept. 21 and Sept. 29.
