A Morley woman assaulted a Howard City police officer last week after being arrested on disorderly conduct and indecent exposure charges.

April Lawe

According to Howard City Police Chief Steve DeWitt, Officer Suzanne McDonald responded to multiple calls of three disorderly subjects in the road of a residential neighborhood near White and Rathbun, at 11:36 p.m. May 6. When she arrived, McDonald found the three subjects in the road, highly intoxicated, and causing a disturbance.

The female suspect, April Lawe, 29, of Morley, had her pants down and was attempting to urinate in the middle of the road. She was arrested for disorderly conduct and indecent exposure.

Matthew Hastings, 32, of Howard City, fled on foot and was caught in a ditch nearby, trying to hide from police. He was arrested for disorderly conduct and three warrants for child neglect/Friend of the Court from various counties. He was also charged with a felony for resisting/opposing a police officer.

Matthew Hastings

A 27-year-old Grand Rapids man with them was being referred to the Kent County court system for a probation violation due to his probation status.

According to DeWitt, the assault on the officer occurred during the trip to the Montcalm County Jail. Because Officer McDonald was transporting both Lawe and Hastings, they were separated, (as is suggested by protocol) with Lawe in the front seat and Hastings in the back. “The officer was transporting two suspects at once to keep from tying up the only other unit in the entire area, for a one-way 30-mile trip to the jail,” explained DeWitt.

During the trip, Lawe began kicking Officer McDonald. She also kicked the windshield of the police cruiser and broke it, and kicked the Mobile Data Computer, pulling connection wires from the computer. DeWitt said Lawe also nearly caused an accident when she twice kicked the gear shift of the cruiser out of drive. “She obviously did not demonstrate this level of violence prior to the transport,” said DeWitt.

Lawe was charged with two additional felonies because of the incident: one count of assaulting a police officer, and one count of malicious destruction of property.

Howard City Police will also seek full restitution for the damages caused by Lawe. DeWitt said he did not have a firm number yet on what that would be, but the windshield itself was $200.

Both suspects were lodged in the Montcalm County jail in Stanton.

Officer McDonald did not have to seek medical treatment. She was assisted on the scene by a deputy with the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Department.