Midwest
Man in bodycam video drives lawn mower to allegedly flee deputy; shoots himself in hand
Newly released police bodycam footage shows what authorities said was a Michigan man driving a riding mower and refusing to pull over for a deputy before getting tased and accidentally shooting himself in the hand.
On Sept. 19, police responded to a home in Leoni Township to arrest a man who had several warrants, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy arrived at the home to arrest 41-year-old James Mitchell Kerr, who was driving a riding lawn mower and allegedly refused to get off the machine.
Authorities said Kerr accelerated toward the deputy before riding away as the deputy chased him.
FLORIDA DEPUTIES PURSUE SUSPECT IN ONE OF THE ‘SLOWEST CHASES IN HISTORY’ AFTER HIT-AND-RUN, AUTHORITIES SAY
James Kerr allegedly tried to flee from a deputy by driving away on a riding lawn mower before getting tased and shooting himself in the hand. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)
The mower eventually stopped in a ditch, but Kerr allegedly refused to comply with the deputy’s commands even after the deputy threatened to tase him.
Police said Kerr continued to ignore the deputy’s command and went back to the mower, drew a handgun that was hidden on the mower, and pointed it at the deputy.
OWNER OF FAMOUS ‘CONJURING’ HOUSE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED DUI AFTER POLICE CHASE IN RHODE ISLAND: VIDEO
Police bodycam video shows James Kerr allegedly fleeing on a riding lawn mower. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)
In response, the deputy fired his stun gun, striking Kerr, which caused Kerr to shoot himself in the hand.
Kerr was treated and released from a local hospital for the gunshot wound. The deputy was not injured.
MICHIGAN BOY STEALS FORKLIFT FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL, LEADS POLICE ON CHASE: OFFICIALS
A Michigan man with outstanding warrants was tased by a deputy after allegedly fleeing on a riding lawn mower and refusing arrest. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)
“This incident underscores how rapidly a seemingly routine encounter can escalate and the potential dangers deputies face daily,” the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said. “Thankfully, the deputy was unharmed, and the suspect did not sustain serious injuries.”
Once cleared, Kerr was arrested and released on bail.
Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette also requested the Michigan State Police to conduct an independent criminal investigation while the sheriff’s office conducted an internal investigation. The internal investigation found no policy violations occurred during the altercation.
Kerr was charged in October and bound over for trial in circuit court last week. He remains in the Jackson County Jail.
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Ohio
Ohio Highway Patrol investigating fatal head-on crash on U.S. Route 62
PERRY TWP. ‒ Two people were killed and a juvenile was injured in a two-vehicle, head-on crash the morning of May 16 on U.S. Route 62, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
A 2019 Ford Ranger was traveling northbound when the vehicle traveled left of center and struck a southbound 2021 Honda Odyssey at 7:16 a.m., the patrol said. The Ford was operated by Cole Scholey, 21, of Beach City, and the Honda was driven by Kelly Kemp, 56, of Massillon.
Scholey was taken by the Perry Township Fire Department to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, where he died. Kemp was pronounced dead at the scene. A juvenile occupant in the Honda was transported to Aultman Hospital with serious injuries.
Neither Scholey nor Kemp were using safety belts, the patrol said. Speed is suspected as a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
Route 62 southbound lanes, south of Navarre Road, were closed for about three and a half hours.
The patrol was assisted at the scene by Perry Township and Massillon police, Perry Township and Erie Valley firefighters, Ohio Department of Transportation, Stark County Coroner’s Office and Tracer’s Towing.
South Dakota
Fact brief: Was an east-west split of Dakota Territory considered?
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Legislation was considered to split Dakota Territory east-west at the Missouri River instead of the current north-south split that was approved in 1889.
A retrospective released by the state of South Dakota on the 125th anniversary of statehood noted that the east-west proposal did have some support.
The East/West Dakota would have followed the Missouri River and aligned regions with similar geographic and cultural identities.
The north-south border decision was motivated partially by resentment between the northern and southern portions of Dakota Territory over the location of the state capital. In 1883, the territory’s capital was moved from Yankton to Bismarck.
Other reasons cited included separate railroad systems, economic ties to major eastern cities (Sioux Falls and Fargo) and the growth of separate systems of public institutions.
This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.
Sources
State of South Dakota, 125th anniversary story
BigThink.com, East and West Dakota? Here’s What Those States Would Look Like
Medium, A Tale of Two States
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Wisconsin
Texas routs Wisconsin softball in NCAA Tournament | When Badgers play next
What to know about NCAA-tourney bound Wisconsin Badgers softball
The Wisconsin Badgers are headed to the NCAA softball tournament. These are some names to know, as well as some pertinent history.
Wisconsin softball could not keep up with the reigning national champions.
Texas – the No. 2 overall seed in the tournament – run-ruled the Badgers, 9-0, in six innings on May 16 in the Austin regional of the NCAA Tournament, easily sending UW to the consolation side of the double-elimination bracket.
Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan took a no-hitter into the fifth inning until Alivia Bark’s single. The Badgers’ only other baserunner during Kavan’s five innings in the circle was on a walk in the first inning.
The Badgers did not have a runner in scoring position until the sixth inning, when Emily Bojan hit a double off Texas reliever Cambria Salmon.
The Longhorns, meanwhile, wasted no time in distancing themselves from the Badgers with their bats. They scored three runs in the first inning after back-to-back hits by Kayden Henry and Katie Stewart, a sacrifice fly by Viviana Martinez and a two-run home run by Reese Atwood.
Texas scored another two runs on a Henry double in the second inning, prompting the Badgers to pull UW ace Shelby Jacobson. One day after her complete-game win over Baylor, Jacobson gave up five earned runs against the Longhorns in 1 ⅓ innings pitched.
Texas piled on with two more runs in the third inning in small-ball fashion after loading the bases, and completed the run-rule win with Henry’s two-run homer in the sixth inning – her third hit of the afternoon – off UW reliever Jordan Felci. (The mercy rule in college softball is eight runs after five or more innings.)
All three UW pitchers to face the Longhorns – Jacobson, Berritt Herr and then Felci – each gave up at least two runs against the host and SEC tournament champion.
When, who will Wisconsin softball play next
The Badgers will look to keep their tournament run alive later today in a consolation game against the winner of the Baylor-Wagner game. (The winner of UW’s next game would then need to defeat Texas twice on May 17 to win the Austin regional.)
UW defeated Baylor in the first round following Hannah Conger’s walk-off double in the ninth inning. Wagner is coming off a 9-1 loss against Texas. The first pitch of UW’s second game is expected to be at approximately 5 p.m., depending on the duration of the Baylor-Wagner game.
This story will be updated after Wisconsin’s second game against Baylor or Wagner.
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