EC man gets probation for brandishing knives at, and fleeing, officers
Oct. 7—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man who police say brandished two knives at an officer and ran away during an attempt to arrest him will spend two years on probation.
Tasers, less lethal 40mm stun rounds and a device intended to entangle a fleeing suspect were used during the May 28 chase on the city's north side, police said.
Robert A. Hanson, 34, 2918 Leslie Lane, pleaded no contest this week in Eau Claire County Court to a felony count of failure to comply with an officer's attempt to take a person into custody.
A felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer, carrying a concealed knife and disorderly conduct were dismissed but considered at sentencing by Judge Emily Long.
As conditions of probation, Long ordered Hanson to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment, and any other recommended programming or treatment.
Hanson was also fined $468.
According to the criminal complaint:
An Eau Claire police officer was dispatched at 3:16 p.m. Saturday, May 28, to a residence on Leslie Lane for a warrant pick-up.
Observing Hanson ride a bicycle away from the residence, the officer in his squad car followed the man onto Abbe Hill Drive and then Eddy Lane. The officer pulled alongside the man and called out his name. The man looked back and shook his head.
The officer parked the squad car, got out and told the man he needed to speak with him. Hanson hopped off his bike, walked toward the officer and pulled a knife from his pocket.
As Hanson neared, the officer pulled out his pistol and ordered the man to drop the knife. The man did not drop the knife, instead saying "I'm not going back" and walked away from the officer.
The officer told Hanson he had an arrest warrant for him and began to chase him on foot. Hanson ignored commands to stop, the officer used his Taser and it had no effect on the fleeing man.
Now holding two knives — one in each hand — Hanson continued to ignore commands of both the initial officer and others who arrived to join the foot chase.
The chase continued through a pedestrian tunnel under North Hastings Way, onto Eddy Lane and then north onto Anderson Drive.
During the pursuit, officers deployed Tasers twice and use a Bola wrap device, but they did not have an effect on Hanson. An officer had fired two 40mm less lethal rounds at different times, each connecting with Hanson, but not causing him to stop running.
Hanson did drop one knife — a silver butter knife — but still had other knives in his hands as he fled police.
Ultimately on the 3100 block of Monroe Street, a sheriff's deputy fired two less lethal bean bag rounds that hit Hanson, prompting him to drop his knives and agree to be arrested.
Three knives were found on the ground near Hanson. Two were folding pocket knives with their blades out and the other was a sharp, pointed knife similar to a letter opener.
