By Christine Vendel
Kansas City Star
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City police officer remained in intensive care Monday after being attacked by a man he was trying to arrest at the Power & Light District late Sunday.
The suspect’s father allegedly joined the 11:45 p.m. fight near the stage in the courtyard.
Jackson County prosecutors charged Scott M. Wyckoff, 21, of Kansas City, with the class A felony of assaulting a police officer. If convicted, he would face at least 10 years in prison.
Mark T. Wyckoff, 46, of Lakeside, Calif., was charged with a class D felony of interfering with a felony arrest. If convicted, he would spend no more than four years in prison.
The melee began after Scott Wyckoff allegedly ducked under a rope to avoid a line where identifications were being checked for people entering the entertainment district. A uniformed officer working off-duty security approached Wyckoff about the matter.
Wyckoff allegedly struggled with the officer. As the pair fell to the pavement, the 39-year-old officer struck the back of his head and was knocked unconscious.
Two witnesses said Wyckoff continued to punch the unconscious officer in the head and face, according to court records. When a second officer arrived, Wyckoff’s father allegedly pushed that officer twice. Wyckoff then allegedly took a swing at the second officer.
The injured officer regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital’s intensive care unit, where doctors determined he suffered bleeding on his brain.
Neurosurgeons were not sure if he would suffer permanent damage, police said.
Wyckoff told police he was intoxicated and remembers being “very aggressive” toward the officer, according to court records.
Copyright 2009 Kansas City Star