A man who fought with a police officer responding to a call of one man threatening another with a knife was sentenced to 42 months in prison after being found guilty Tuesday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Stephen Wayne Spohn, 48, was found guilty of Resisting an Officer with Violence, and Battery. Circuit Court Judge Dustin Stephenson handed down the sentence following the verdict. Jurors took 27 minutes to reach their verdicts.
Prosecutor Christopher Walters called 3 witnesses, including the officer involved.
Walters said protecting those – law enforcement – who are on the streets putting themselves in danger to keep citizens safe is crucial.
“The officer is just trying to do his job, and in this case there is a report that someone with a knife is beating and chasing another citizen,” Walters said. “We depend on them to respond and protect us. We must do the same when they become the victim.”
Walters noted that from the moment a citizen spotted the defendant arguing with another man, the defendant was the aggressor.
“Every escalation in this case is due to one person – this defendant,” Walters said. “He met every situation with violence. There’s no one to blame but himself.”
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The testimony and evidence showed the defendant struck another man, knocking him to the ground near 23rd Street and State 77. The man was able to get out and tried to run away, but the defendant caught him.
A Good Samaritan saw what was happening, pulled up next to the men, and ultimately let that victim into the vehicle for protection until police arrived.
The officer spotted the defendant walking away and told him to stop but was ignored. The defendant tried to punch him when he was detained and continued to struggle with police.
Basford thanked the Panama City Police Department and the officers involved for their work that day and for helping keep citizens out of harm’s way.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.