(Delta County Prosecutor’s Office)
Zakary Arthur Barnhart, 18, of Escanaba was sentenced to 12 months in the Delta County Jail.
Barnhart was sentenced following the entry of a no contest plea to Attempted Disarming Firearm from Peace Officer (punishable by up to 5 years in prison), Disarming Non Firearm from Peace Officer (punishable by up to 4 years in prison), and two counts of Assaulting/Resisting/Obstructing a Police officer (punishable by up to 2 years in prison).
On April 30, 2019, officers from Escanaba Department of Public Safety responded to the ISD in the city of Escanaba to a report that Barnhart was intoxicated at school.
Upon arrival, school officials explained to officers that Barnhart had brought a bottle of alcohol to school and that he had told the official that he wanted the police to shoot him. Barnhart made the comment to officers to kill him and officers attempted to place him in protective custody.
Barnhart verbally and physically refused to be detained, pulling away from officers. Barnhart grabbed at one of the officer’s vests and released his taser. Barnhart then attempted to grab the officer’s gun.
The officers were able to prevent Barnhart from obtaining the weapon and were eventually able to detain Barnhart after using OC chemical spray.
