Warren man charged with slashing police officer's face

Candice Williams / The Detroit News

Warren -- A Warren man faces up to life in prison on charges he assaulted a Warren Police officer Friday, slashing him in the head and face with a knife.

Johnathan Patrick Williams, 20, faces charges of assault with intent to commit murder; one count of resisting and obstructing an officer, causing injury; and two counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer. He was arraigned before Macomb District Court Judge Matthew Sabaugh.

Williams is being held on a $500,000 cash surety bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 17.

An eight-year veteran Warren police officer was treated at an area hospital Friday after police said Williams gave him two gashes to his head and face with a butcher knife. Two officers were called to a car wash around 12:13 p.m. in the Eight Mile and Groesbeck area because the manager had had some trouble with the suspect.

When the officers arrived to the car wash, the manager pointed out the suspect on the front porch of a nearby house in the 20800 block of Waltham Street. The officers confronted the suspect, who grabbed at the officers, police said. The incident went from the front porch to inside the home, where the suspect picked up a butcher knife, slashing at the officers.

The wounded officer has a 3-inch gash on the left side of his skull and a cut on his right cheek, police said. He received stitches.

cwilliams@detnews.com (586) 468-0529