Texas Man Strikes Officer with Machete During Arrest, Police Say

A man in East Texas allegedly fought with police and injured an officer with a machete during his arrest.

A man in East Texas put up a fierce fight during his arrest, allegedly injuring an officer with a machete before being apprehended by authorities.

The Texarkana Police Department responded to a call about a suspicious person at a McDonald’s on New Boston Road around 10 a.m. Saturday. According to reports, the man was armed with a machete and a whip.

Upon arrival, officers encountered 32-year-old Kevin Neal a few blocks away from the fast-food restaurant. Neal allegedly brandished the machete and refused to comply with police commands to drop the weapon.

Despite attempts to subdue him using non-lethal methods such as a pepper gun and bean bag, Neal continued to pose a threat by swinging the machete at officers. Eventually, police managed to tackle him in the 2700 block of Texas Boulevard.

During the struggle, Neal reportedly struck one of the officers in the head with the machete before being taken into custody. He now faces charges including evading detention, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault.

Fortunately, the injured officer suffered only minor injuries and was released from the hospital after treatment. Neal was booked into the Bi-State Jail following medical clearance.