SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 22, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A man who reportedly ignored a trooper’s command to stop walking on Interstate 15, then urged the trooper to shoot him, then tried to force him to the ground, has been booked into jail on multiple charges.
Benjamin Andrew Osaze Bandfield, 26, has been booked on suspicion of:
- Assault of a peace officer in uniform, a class A misdemeanor
- Failure to stop at the command of a law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor
- Possession of a controlled substance — marijuana/spice, a class B misdemeanor
- Prohibited activities by a pedestrian using a roadway, an infraction
The Utah Highway Patrol trooper was called to the area of I-15’s 400 South ramp, and upon arrival found a man walking south near 500 South on the I-15 shoulder.
“I observed a male wearing a black backpack standing on the left shoulder,” the probable cause statement says. “When I stopped my patrol car, the male dropped his backpack and aggressively started walking toward my patrol car. After exiting my patrol car, I commanded the male to stop walking and go to the front of my patrol car.”
The suspect, later identified as Bandfield, ignored the command.
“The male then grabbed me around my body with his hand in my face and attempted to throw me to the ground. I was able to push the individual back and commanded him to stop walking toward me.”
Bandfield continued to walk toward the officer, the statement says. “… I pulled my Taser out and pointed it in his direction. The individual continued to walk toward me as I commanded him to stop. Another trooper arrived on scene and assisted.”
Bandfield continued to advance, the statement says, ” … stating he wanted us to shoot him. As he continued to walk toward us, he was commanded multiple times to remain where he was at and he did not.
“As other officers arrived on scene, the male would not comply to commands to get on the ground and was eventually tackled.”
Bandfield was cuffed and put in full body restraint, the probable cause statement says. His backpack contained multiple clear bags with small amounts of spice.
According to reports from the scene, the trooper was not injured, but did have an earpiece dislodged while he was struggling with Bandfield.
Bandfield’s bail has been set at $5,000.
A records check by Gephardt Daily reveals Bandfield is no stranger to law enforcement.
In February 2019, he was charged with criminal mischief and burglary after allegedly forcing his way into the Justice Court Building after hours and causing more than $5,000 in damages. A probable cause statement also states Bandfield is “a non-compliant sex offender and has failed to register as well as failed to obtain a state ID and comply within the sex offender guidelines.”
A month earlier, Bandfield was arrested and charged with assault when he allegedly fought with security staff at the Road Home Men’s Shelter, at 235 S. 500 West. According to the probable cause statement in that case, Bandfield bloodied a security guard’s nose after he was approached by guards for “punching the wall.”
