Drunken Ann Arbor man accused of punching officer helping him into ambulance

By Lee Higgins Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Mon, Mar 12, 2012 : 3:58 p.m.

Ann Arbor police said an intoxicated man who initially refused to pay a cab fare hit an officer Thursday night as she helped him into an ambulance.

Thomas Neely, 25, of Ann Arbor was arraigned Saturday at the Washtenaw County Jail on a charge of disorderly conduct and two counts of resisting and obstructing police, court records show.

Police spokeswoman Lt. Renee Bush said officers were called to the intersection of 8th and West Washington streets at about midnight Thursday after receiving a report that a man was refusing to pay a cab fare. When officers put Neely in handcuffs and threatened to arrest him, he came up with the cash, Bush said.

Bush said officers told Neely he was too intoxicated to be on the street and called one of his friends, attempting to arrange a ride home. When officers couldn't reach his friend, they told Neely he would have to sober up at the hospital, police said.

While an officer was helping Neely into an ambulance, police said he hit her on the collarbone, knocking her back. Officers arrested Neely and took him to jail.

He is out on a promise to appear and scheduled to return to court March 22 for a preliminary hearing.