Winter Clothes Stop Taser, Utica Man Allegedly Tries to Choke Police

Police were able to avoid a situation that could have turned deadly on Monday night.

Three people are now under arrest after what started as a traffic stop in an area identified as a “hot spot” by police.

Investigators with the Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative (“GIVE”) Unit were in a neighborhood under surveillance after numerous reports of shots fired had been received.  While in the area, police say that they saw a driver violate vehicle and traffic law and pulled over the vehicle on Mohawk Street near Bleecker Street at approximately 9:50pm on Monday, November 28, 2022.

Police say three people were inside the car.  In addition to the driver there was a passenger in the front seat and one in the back seat.  Police say that the passenger in the back seat, identified as 23-year-old Thomas Lopez of Utica, had an outstanding warrant from the UPD.

The UPD says that when they told Lopez about the warrant and were having him get out of the car, he allegedly handed a gun to the front seat passenger, identified as 43-year-old Michael Reed of Utica.

According to a written release from the UPD, “Reed then refused to drop the gun after multiple commands while the officers attempted to take both into custody.  As the officers were struggling with Reed for the gun, Lopez began attempt [sic] to choke one of them from behind while the other officers attempted to take Lopez into custody.”

The UPD says that one of the officers discharged his Taser at Lopez but, because Lopez was wearing heavy clothing, the Taser was not effective.  “Eventually,” the UPD says, “the officers were able to remove both from the vehicle, however both continued to resist their arrest and had to be taken to the ground in order for the arrest to be (affected).”

Police say that the gun was identified as a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson that was reported stolen from someone in the state of Georgia.

The driver, whose identity has not been released, was ticketed for vehicle and traffic violations.

Thomas Lopez now faces the following charges:

•Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree

•Criminal Possession of a Firearm

•Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree

•Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree

•Resisting Arrest

•Outstanding Warrant

Michael Reed faces the following charges:

•Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second degree

•two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in Third degree

•Criminal Possession of a Firearm

•Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth degree

•Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh degree

•Resisting Arrest

Police say that the investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes only. Any charges or accusations of wrongdoing mentioned in the article are only allegations and the reader is reminded that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.]