June 10—TRAVERSE CITY — A bar fight at a downtown venue early Sunday led to the suspect jumping into the Boardman River in an attempt to elude police.
At 12:32 a.m. Sunday, a security guard at Encore 201, the Front Street dance club, called police and said a 28-year-old Traverse City man was trying to start a fight with other patrons.
According to the police report, the man threw a bat described as a baston, a martial arts weapon, at another guest and made verbal threats.
By the time Traverse City Police Department officers arrived, the man had fled to the 200 block of Cass Street, climbed a fence and jumped into the Boardman River, Lt. Ryan Taylor said.
The police lost sight of him, but after 35 minutes he reappeared on land. When police saw him, he jumped back into the water to avoid them again, Taylor said.
A few minutes later, TCPD officers arrested the suspect downtown between Union and Cass streets.
The man was taken to Munson Medical Center to treat possible hypothermia from the cold water before being taken to the Grand Traverse County Jail, Taylor said.
Police have asked the district attorney to file charges of disorderly conduct, assault and battery. But Taylor said they believe the man fled because he has an outstanding warrant for his arrest from another county.
As of Monday morning, he was still in custody awaiting arraignment.
TCPD was assisted by the Traverse City Fire Department, Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police.
