JACKSON (WWJ) – A man accused of dragging a Michigan State Police trooper nearly a mile while fleeing a traffic stop for speeding in Jackson County over the weekend is facing multiple charges.
Tavion Beasley was arraigned Tuesday on charges of assault with intent to murder, carrying a concealed weapon and assault of a police officer causing injury.
The incident happened around 9 a.m. Sunday in Summit Township when a trooper pulled Beasley over.
MSP on Tuesday released body camera footage of the traffic stop. Just after the trooper asks Beasley for his license and registration, she asks him if he has marijuana burning inside the car.
After he says “yes, ma’am,” she asks him to step out of the car. During a conversation at the back of the car, she asks, “you know that it’s illegal to smoke marijuana while you’re driving?”
During the traffic stop she says “on top of that, you were going 92 miles an hour down (US)127.”
As he continues to use his phone, the trooper tells him to sit on the back of the red Chrysler. Despite the trooper’s commands, Beasley eventually walks back to the open driver’s door and gets in.
As a struggle ensues, the body camera becomes obstructed. The car is heard accelerating and the trooper says multiple times, “stop and let me out.”
Authorities said on Sunday the trooper was dragged ¾ of a mile before falling off the car. The trooper was released from the hospital after being treated for minor injuries.
Officials had been asking community members in the area to check their doorbell camera for video of the incident and to be on the lookout for the body camera, which had fallen off during the incident.
Beasley eventually turned himself in after talking with family members, officials said Monday. He is being held at the Jackson County Jail on a $500,000.00 bond.
The trooper suffered injuries from the incident and is continuing to recover at home.