Humberto Joaquin Lara, Jr.

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was arrested after resisting arrest, attempting to take an officer’s handgun and beating an officer while armed with a knife.

Humberto Joaquin Lara, Jr., 30, 415 W. Porter St., Warsaw, is being charged with battery resulting in bodily injury to a law enforcement officer, a level 5 felony; battery while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; disarming a law enforcement officer, a level 5 felony; possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony; and resisting law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor.

On Sunday, Oct. 14, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a report of an intoxicated person at the Detroit Street McDonald’s. When the officer arrived at the scene, he immediately recognized the subject as Lara, who had four active warrants out for his arrest.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, as the officer told Lara he had several active warrants, Lara turned away and started to put his hands in his pockets. The officer attempted to stop Lara from reaching in his pockets but Lara resisted and pulled away.

The officer physically engaged with Lara and they both fell to the ground. While on the ground, the officer felt Lara attempt to remove his handgun from his holster. The officer then struck Lara on his left hand, knocking an object from it. The object was later identified as a knife.

Lara used his fist to hit the officer on the head two times and managed to break free from the officer and fled. Lara then jumped over a retaining wall and fell to the ground, at which time the officer jumped and held him until other officers arrived and assisted taking Lara into custody.

The officer sustained several abrasions on his left hand, a bleeding injury on his left wrist, and a lump on his forehead caused by Lara hitting him.

Located on Lara’s person was a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Lara was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Oct. 14, with a $10,250 surety and cash bond.