RIVER FALLS – A 42year-old River Falls man is facing felony charges after fleeing police, which led to a foot chase through an Elm Street apartment building and a tussle on a roof before he was subdued and arrested.

James Norman Olson is facing felony battery to a law enforcement officer, felony possession of methamphetamine and resisting an officer charges in Pierce County Circuit Court. If convicted, he could be fined up to $10,000 and sentenced up to six years in prison. He posted a $25,000 signature bond on May 10 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. June 15.

According to the complaint: At 8:21 p.m. Saturday, May 8, a River Falls police officer saw Olson driving a white Nissan Xterra westbound on Elm Street near Main Street. He confirmed with dispatch that Olson had a felony arrest warrant. Olson had evaded arrest on March 30.

The officer saw Olson park on Elm Street outside his residence. The officer parked and waited for him on the sidewalk while he got his dog out of the car. As Olson approached his apartment complex entrance, the officer asked to speak with him. Olson took off running west toward Main Street, ignoring commands to stop.

The officer followed Olson on foot into the apartment complex at 105 E. Elm St. Olson raced up the inside stairs, still holding the dog’s leash. When the officer shouted stop, Olson dropped the leash and ran for the door to the roof. As he opened the door, the officer wrapped his arms around Olson’s torso and “decentralized him to the ground onto the roof.” Olson resisted, swinging his arms and kicking his legs, striking the officer in the legs. Olson pulled at the officer’s wrists and tried to stand up while the officer held tight.

The officer told Olson to stop resisting and get on his stomach, but he continued to try to get to his feet. The officer was able to lift him off the ground and get him to the ground, but Olson kept kicking the officer’s legs and torso. The officer tried to radio for help, but his radio had fallen from its holster. When he grabbed his microphone and reached dispatch, Olson was able to stand up and try to flee. The officer dropped his radio, wrapped his arms around Olson’s torso again, and got him back on the ground. They continued struggling and Olson, who was wearing boots, landed a kick to the officer’s head. The officer lost his grip and Olson fled to the opposite side of the roof, where he re-entered the apartment complex.

A Pierce County deputy was waiting on the ground level. Officers determined Olson had fled into an apartment. They heard another River Falls officer, who had arrived on scene, shout from the top floor where Olson was running with a large, wooden clothes hamper. The officer told Olson to stop, and when he didn’t, he deployed his taser.

After an officer handcuffed Olson, he was taken downstairs to the sidewalk and placed in an escort belt. Police found a small baggie in Olson’s jacket pocket containing a white, crystalline substance (4.8 grams of meth), and $3,419 in cash in his pants pocket. EMS took Olson to the hospital for evaluation; he had redness and swelling on his left temple, a cut on his left hand and small cuts on his lower legs. He also complained of chest pain.

While at the hospital, Olson apologized to the officer for kicking him in the head and remained cooperative. After being medically cleared, an officer took him to Pierce County Jail. The injured officer was also treated at the hospital for pain in his head, a cut on his left hand, bruising and swelling in his knees and bleeding knees.