A Kent Police officer resorted to punching a man two or three times in the head and face as officers struggled to get him into a patrol vehicle after he earlier had stepped in front of cars along South 277th Street.

Officers responded to a report of man kicking a vehicle traveling westbound at about 9 p.m. on April 19 in the 9700 block of South 277th Street near the Wickstrom Bridge, according to the police report.

Police arrested the man for investigation of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after a short foot chase. An officer fired a Taser at the man after he ran from them, but the dart didn’t stop the man, who wore a heavy jacket, stands over 6 feet tall and weighs an estimated 280 pounds.

As three officers tried to put the man in a patrol vehicle’s backseat to transport him to jail, the man struggled with the officers. An officer noted he feared the man would run again or assault an officer, so he punched him in order to get him into the vehicle. The officer noted the man didn’t suffer any injuries from the punches.

A driver told police he had to slam on his brakes because the man stood in the road. Police also received a second call about a man in the road. Officers recognized the man from another incident in March and described him as a transient with an unknown mental problem. Four police officers and several jail staff members escorted the man from the patrol vehicle into the city jail.

Man runs into women’s restroom

Officers arrested a man for investigation of harassment after he reportedly held a stick in a city parks employee’s face during an incident at about 8:13 p.m. on April 18 at Lake Meridian Park, 14800 S.E. Kent Kangley Road.

The employee saw the man enter the women’s restroom at the park and told the man to get out of it, according to the police report.

The man then walked toward Kent Kangley Road and threw rocks at about four vehicles, but didn’t hit any of them. As the employee told the man to leave the area, the man picked up a stick and held it in the employee’s face before officers arrived to take the man into custody.

Woman slaps female roommate

Police arrested a woman for investigation of fourth-degree assault after she allegedly slapped a female roommate in the face during a dispute at about 11:02 a.m. on April 17 at a house in the 10300 block of Southeast 208th Street.

The woman who was slapped reportedly threw the dentures of the other woman across the room as they argued so the woman responded by slapping her in the face, according to the police report.

The woman victim said she rents a room in the house occupied by her ex-husband and his adult daughter, who was involved in the dispute. The ex-husband broke up the fight but told police he didn’t know what the two women were arguing about.

While talking to officers, the woman said she regretted slapping the other woman. She added she’s been frustrated with the ongoing problems in the house.

Woman takes laundry detergent

Officers arrested a woman for investigation of third-degree theft after she reportedly took laundry detergent and electric toothbrushes from the Safeway store at 13101 S.E. Kent Kangley Road.

A loss prevention officer called in the theft on April 17 after watching the woman put laundry detergent into a cart and left the store without paying for the items, according to the police report.

The woman also carried a large purse which police discovered contained new electric toothbrushes. She told officers she needed the toothbrushes for her children.

Man spits at officers

Police arrested a man for investigation of fourth-degree assault after he allegedly spit at two officers during an incident at about 11:26 p.m. on April 17 in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 10100 block of Southeast 235th Place.

A passerby reported seeing a man laying on the ground next to a vehicle, according to the police report.

An officer responded to the call and saw the man on the ground. The officer tried to wake him up. The man started to swear at the officer. Police noted the man seemed to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

Because of his hostile behavior, officers handcuffed the man. The man then spit at the officers, hitting one of them with spray. Police then put a spit sock on the man before taking him to jail.