LINCOLN CITY – A 43-year-old Waldport man who told police to kill him and then threatened to kill them early Tuesday is in the Lincoln County jail on five charges including resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
Matthew R. Garrett of Waldport is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, assaulting a public safety officer and menacing, according to a news release from the Lincoln City Police Department.
Police said they received a report of a vehicle parked in the southbound lane of U.S. Highway 101 near Southwest 32nd Street in Lincoln City about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police said the driver was standing outside his vehicle, appeared to be agitated and trying to trying to hit vehicles with large piece of lumber as they tried to drive around him.
Police spokesman Lt. Jeffrey Winn said Garrett became “very confrontational and aggressive” towards officers when they arrived and began fighting with them as officers tried to arrest him. The Lincoln County Jail roster lists Garrett as 6-feet-6 inches tall and weighing 320 pounds.
In a probable cause affidavit filed in Lincoln County Circuit Court, Officer Zachary Riggs said he recognized Garrett from contacts with police that night and Sunday night. As Riggs approached Garrett, he said “…kill me or you’re all going to die.” As Riggs kept approaching, the court document said, Garrett then said “You’re dead and you are all going to hell.”
The court document said Officer Jim Hoydic shot Garrett with his Taser as he charged toward Riggs, dropping him to his knees. Hoydic used the Taser again on Garrett as the suspect ran around the front of the patrol car.
The probable cause affidavit said Garrett fought with Hoydic, was able to grab his Taser and point it at Riggs and threaten to shoot him with it. Hoydic broke free, the affidavit said, and Riggs shot Garrett again with the Taser. Garrett dropped to the ground and other officers who had arrived restrained him and handcuffed him.
A Pacific West Ambulance took Garrett to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, police said. Garrett was later taken to the Lincoln County Jail.
One police officer went to North Lincoln Hospital for evaluation of his injury and later released, the department said.
The day after the Lincoln City fight and arrest, Garrett was charged with criminal trespass for a May 29 incident at Dahl Disposal in Waldport during which he is accused of damaging property and refusing to leave the business.
— Quinton Smith/YachatsNews