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Police: Suspect Injures Gainesville Officer During Traffic Stop

William J. McFadden (Photo by Alachua County jail)
William J. McFadden (Photo by Alachua County jail)

A Gainesville police officer received minor injuries early this morning after a struggle following a traffic stop.

Police stopped William J. McFadden, a 40-year-old Gainesville resident, for speeding at 2:15 a.m. in the 5700 block of Northwest 23rd Street, according to a release from Gainesville police spokesman Ben Tobias.

During the stop, McFadden, who smelled of alcohol, was uncooperative and struggled with an officer who was trying to place him in handcuffs, Tobias said. At least three officers helped in the struggle, which lasted about one minute, he said.

One of the officers received minor abrasions but was not in need of medical attention, Tobias said.

McFadden was arrested and remained at the Alachua County jail this morning on a $10,500 bond, according to jail records. He was charged with one count of battery on an officer (felony), one count of resisting an officer with violence (felony) and one count of resisting an officer without violence (misdemeanor).

Tobias later told WUFT News that he didn't immediately have statistics on how many Gainesville police officers have been injured this year. But there haven't been many, he said, because of the training they receive.

“Thankfully," he said, "our officers don’t suffer from too many injuries in the field."

Catherine is a reporter for WUFT News. She can be reached at news@wuft.org or 352-392-6397.