Man Charged with Assault on Officer After Allegedly Throwing Beer Can off Broadway Rooftop
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Rooftop Revelry Takes Dangerous Turn
A late-night revel on the rooftop of a popular bar took a dangerous turn last Thursday when an individual now identified as John Wilcox was arrested and subsequently charged with assault on a police officer. Wilcox was reportedly engaged in throwing a full beer can from atop the building when police intervened.
Canned Assault on Law Enforcement
According to an arrest affidavit, a local police officer was on patrol duties in the Broadway area when he was called to the bar around 11:00 p.m. in relation to reports a beer can had been hurled from the rooftop aiming for the officers.
The officer was crossing the parking lot situated between the bar and the Broadway Brewhouse when he witnessed a filled beer can soaring through the air. The projectile eventually crashed close to where two officers were positioned, having been allegedly tossed from the rooftop of the bar.
Reacting to the incident, the officer looked up to observe a figure swiftly ducking and moving out of sight. At this point, a security guard employed at the bar intervened, reportedly deploying his flashlight to alert the officers to the fleeing suspect.
Apprehending the Suspect
The affidavit further details how the officer promptly made contact with the security guard on duty who informed him that the individual involved was currently being escorted off the premises.
Upon apprehension, Wilcox admitted to having thrown the beer can from the rooftop. Subsequent review of surveillance camera footage appeared to confirm that Wilcox was indeed the person involved in the episode.
The Seriousness of the Offence
In the affidavit, the reporting officer clearly stated, “I determined that filled can could have caused death or serious bodily injury if it struck me from the height it was thrown and the distance it traveled from a rooftop and the speed at which it was thrown.”
Given that both the reporting officer and the officer standing nearby were the only two in the vicinity of the incident, the officer alleged that the projectile was intended to hit them. On these grounds, Wilcox was charged with assault on a police officer.
This incident underlines the potential peril faced by law enforcement personnel even in situations that might initially seem mundane or routine. Responding to calls near a bustling nightlife area comes with risks and potential dangers which can escalate quickly as in this case.
