Bayfield man charged with assaulting officer, threatening EMTs

A Bayfield man is accused by authorities of assaulting and threatening to kill a Red Cliff police officer. The man is also accused of threatening to kill the emergency responders who tried to help him after the officer reportedly tased him.

Daniel Topping, 31, is charged with battery of a law enforcement officer, two counts of threating bodily harm to a health care provider, threatening a law enforcement officer, and resisting and obstructing an officer. If convicted, he faces a maximum of more than 24 years in prison.

He made his initial appearance on Oct. 8.

According to the criminal complaint, a Red Cliff police officer was dispatched to a residence on New Housing Road for a report of an intoxicated male trying to enter the home.

The officer eventually found the man in question and asked him what was going on. As he approached the man, the officer noticed a large cut on the left side of his forehead and blood on his left arm. When asked what happened, Topping replied he didn’t know and seemed unbothered by the injuries.

The officer requested Red Cliff Emergency Medical Services to arrive. Topping then started to walk away from the officer and ignored officer’s command to stop. Eventually Topping walked toward the officer and attempted to grab the officer’s flashlight.

Topping started walking away from the officer again. To stop him, the officer, grabbed Topping’s arm. Topping then slapped the officer’s hand in response, causing pain.

The officer told him not to hit him and proceeded to draw his taser. He activated the taser and aimed it at Topping. He told Topping to stop walking away from him or he would tase him. Topping clenched his fist, asked “what you gonna do,” then got into a fighting stance and began to walk towards the officer, the complaint said.

The officer walked backwards to create distance from Topping, but he proceeded to come towards the officer with his fist clinched. The officer then deployed his taser, which struck Topping.

When EMS arrived, the officer helped Topping to his feet and brought him to the ambulance. One of the EMTs told the officer that Topping threatened to kill her and the other EMT. The EMT said she wasn’t comfortable transferring Topping to the hospital.

While the officer drove Topping to the hospital, Topping made numerous threats towards the officer. Some of the threats included “100% you’re going to die, “I’m going to piss in your grave” and “your whole family will watch you die,” the complaint said.

Topping was evaluated by hospital staff and taken to jail without incident.