Birthday celebration turns into charges for Sallisaw man

Haggard set for Wednesday felony disposition docket

A Sallisaw man is scheduled for a Wednesday felony disposition docket in Sequoyah County District Court after being charged last month with felony battery/assault and battery on a police officer, malicious injury to property over $1,000, malicious injury to property under $1,000, escape from arrest or detention and public intoxication, following an alleged dispute in Muldrow on his birthday.

Kaden J. Haggard, 20, was charged Dec. 6 and received a $5,000 bond. He is set to appear before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters at 9 a.m. on Jan. 4.

Muldrow Police reported just after 2 a.m. on Dec. 4, they responded to a possible domestic altercation at a Muldrow apartment complex. Officers Kevin Mackey and Nick Yoakum responded and saw a man running down the apartment stairs and Mackey was able to catch the man as he fell. Yoakum reported as Mackey tried to gain control of the male subject, the man reportedly started resisting. Yoakum did deploy his taser but decided not to use it because the man and Mackey were wrestling, according to the probable cause affidavit.

As the man tried to pull away from Mackey, Yoakum reported the male suspect’s left hand was drawn back as if he was going to allegedly strike the officer, so he tackled the man to the ground. While trying to gain control of the suspect, the male (Haggard) reportedly bit down on Yoakum’s right forearm and Mackey was also reportedly bitten. Yoakum said his body camera mount was also ripped from his vest and later found on the ground destroyed.

Haggard reportedly stated he was “strong” and had allegedly “drank several bottles of 99 proof alcohol” for his birthday. After the officers tried to stand him up, Haggard allegedly tried to break free and Yoakum drew his taser once again, striking Haggard in the chest and handcuffing him.

When the officers tried to place him in the back of Mackey’s patrol unit he reportedly began resisting again, while yelling and cursing at the officers. Haggard allegedly became belligerent, kicking at the patrol unit’s doors and windows where he was able to exit through a back door and run from the unit. He then ran up the stairs of the apartment complex where the alleged dispute had occurred and threatened to jump from the patrol unit if taken into custody.

Haggard reportedly continued to be belligerent and was head butting the back passenger door of the patrol unit, according to the affidavit. Once in custody, he continued to kick the window of the police unit where he reportedly kicked hard enough to bend the door out away from the vehicle.

Several Sequoyah County deputies and two Cherokee Marshals arrived and assisted in placing Haggard in leg shackles and then followed Mackey to the detention center to ensure no further incidents would happen.

The reporting party told authorities they were having a birthday party for Haggard at the apartment when he became very intoxicated. After an argument with Haggard, the reporting party told him to leave and sober up. After forcing him toward the door for a third time, the reporting party said Haggard came through one of the apartment windows and police were called. The reporting party said he then wrecked the house and tore the television from the wall.

After arriving at the detention facility Haggard once again became noncompliant and had to be escorted into the jail where he reportedly refused to provide any personal information to the booking officer.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said felony battery/assault and battery on a police officer is punishable by a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both; while felony malicious injury to property over $1,000 is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for up to two years or a fine not exceeding $1,000, or both fine and imprisonment.