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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake police have arrested a man accused of attacking two officers, punching one in the head and choking a second.
Luke Dennis Menders, 36, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of two counts of aggravated assault targeting law enforcement, attempting to disarm a police officer, failing to stop at the command of police, interfering with a police officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, failing to disclose his identity and two other infractions.
Just before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, police were called to 365 S. 500 West on a report of a man climbing a street pole. A security guard stated that Menders had walked into a construction area and was asked to leave, according to a police booking affidavit.
When officers arrived at the scene, they told Menders to sit on the curb and asked for his identification.
"Menders stated that he would not sit down and that he was leaving. Menders began running, so my assisting officer informed Menders to stop multiple times before we both gave chase," the affidavit states.
Menders ran across 500 West and into a business at 230 South.
"As I entered the business, Menders exited through another door. I commanded Menders to lay on the ground multiple times while I had my Taser aimed at him," according to the affidavit.
Menders, however, resisted arrest and during an ensuing struggle with the officers punched one in the head and choked the second officer, the affidavit alleges.
"While Menders was on the ground, he grabbed my assisting officer's Taser so I attempted to maintain control of his hand. I instructed Menders to let go of the Taser. While I was controlling his hand, Menders attempted to bite my hand. Menders was eventually placed into handcuffs," police wrote in the affidavit. "On body camera, Menders is seen resisting arrest and assaulting me when he swung and made contact to my head."
Menders' criminal history includes an arrest in 2018 during which he claimed he was an FBI agent and on his way to the airport to see Russian leader Vladimir Putin before carjacking a vehicle. He pleaded guilty in that case to theft in exchange for other charges being dismissed.
