An incident at a Sterling Heights Walmart turned violent over the weekend when a man allegedly tried to stab a police officer with a screwdriver. The accused, 32-year-old Joshua Mills of Eastpointe, now faces multiple felony charges, including assault with intent to do great bodily harm, retail fraud, and resisting arrest, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
Mills was reportedly confronted by Sterling Heights police after employees at the Walmart on Van Dyke Road claimed he left the store without paying for merchandise. Mills attempted to flee when police arrived, leading to a pursuit and the deployment of a Taser. While on the ground, Mills allegedly "sat up and attempted to stab the officer in the face with a screwdriver," according to authorities cited by CBS News Detroit. The officer narrowly avoided the attack.
"The defendant’s decision to allegedly turn a routine misdemeanor arrest into a life-threatening confrontation is unacceptable, and our office will pursue this case to the fullest extent of the law," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a statement obtained by FOX 2 Detroit. Mills, who is currently on probation for domestic violence and resisting police, was arraigned yesterday in the 41st District Court in Sterling Heights.
Mills' bond was set at $500,000. He is due back in court October 20 for a probable cause conference, followed by a preliminary examination on October 27. If released, Mills must wear a GPS tether, reinforcing the concern for public safety in a case that has caught the attention of local residents and law enforcement alike, as noted by CBS News Detroit.
