Published: August 18, 2009 10:55 pm      

Man pulls knife on officer

He had been asking for directions in the Denver area.

A barefoot man with bleeding feet asking for directions to Logansport prompted a Denver resident to call police.

Miami County sheriff deputies responded just after 4:17 p.m. Monday and found the man on Ind. 16, west of Denver.

Police said when they attempted to speak with Travis L. Simpson, who is a Logansport resident, he displayed a knife and approached the officer. The officer said he ordered Simpson, 22, to drop the weapon and after numerous verbal commands, Simpson placed the knife back in his pocket.

Deputies then ordered Simpson to place his hands on the patrol car, and he reportedly threw an item out of his pocket, which deputies retrieved and identified as a 9-mm handgun.

Simpson then reportedly attempted to open the squad car doors before fleeing down Ind. 16, entering a wooded area. The officer pursued Simpson approximately 150 yards before catching him and holding him by taser until additional units could arrive.

Simpson was charged with felony charges of attempted battery on a police officer with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement while armed with a deadly weapon and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a handgun without a permit.