Cape man charged with assaulting police officers

A Cape Girardeau man was charged Wednesday with the class C felony of assault of a law enforcement officer after he allegedly flourished a pellet rifle at two Cape Girardeau police officers.

Arthur R. Jones, 37, was taken to the Cape Girardeau County jail after Judge William Syler set a bond of $100,000. Jones also was charged with the class A misdemeanor of resisting arrest.

According to a probable cause statement, Cape patrolman Adam Glueck reported that on Tuesday he and patrolman Paul Zajicek responded to a domestic disturbance call at 1400 S. West End Blvd., Lot 20. The alleged victim told officers that his roommate had struck him on the face and had damaged his belongings before leaving the residence.

Zajicek followed footprints in the snow to a nearby ravine where he located Jones who was reportedly carrying a Shadow 1000 4.5-caliber pellet rifle.

Jones began walking away, ignoring Zajicek's repeated commands to stop. Jones reportedly refused to be detained by police and began yelling profanities. He allegedly fired a shot from the pellet rifle into the air, then fired a second time in the direction of the officers, police said.

After a brief standoff, the officers convinced Jones to lower the weapon and surrender. He was taken into custody and ran a .130 on the Datamaster breathalyzer. The legal minimum for being intoxicated is .08. The officers were not injured.

Class C felony assault of a law enforcement officer carries punishment of up to seven years in prison. The misdemeanor charge stems from Jones, knowing the officers were attempting to arrest him, resisted by fleeing from the officers.