Police officers in a Wisconsin town accidentally set a half-naked man on fire while trying to arrest him last week.
Manitowoc police said they were called to the area of South 25th Street and Hamilton Street for a report of a man standing in the middle of the street yelling that he had a knife and was going to “gut” someone.
When officers arrived, they said they found a 33-year-old man naked in the middle of the intersection.
No weapon was found on the man, but a folding knife was found along with his pants on a nearby porch, police said.
Officers learned the man had a warrant out for his arrest and attempted to take him in handcuffs to their squad car when he allegedly resisted, police said.
The man, who had pants on at that time, began struggling with officers and kicking them, according to a police report.
One officer at the scene pulled out a Taser and when the man continued to struggle, the officer deployed the Taser a second time. That time, authorities believe the Taser instead hit a lighter the man had “somehow earlier picker up,” the police report states.
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“One of the Taser probes struck the lighter, puncturing the lighter, thus starting a fire that was in the suspects [sic] facial hair and chest hair,” police said in a release.
According to police, the man continued to struggle and was Tased a third time before it “took effect.”
He was ultimately sedated by first responders and taken to a local hospital for his wounds.
The man was arrested for felony resisting arrest and batter to a police officer, disorderly conduct, and lewd and lascivious behaviour.
Police ask that anyone with information on the incident call (920) 683-4466.
