Homeless man fights with police after jumping into traffic

A man who was jumping into traffic was arrested Sunday evening after a physical altercation with an officer, Fort Smith police reported.

The Police Department released the body camera footage after the incident, which occurred about 5:30 p.m.

Laeric L. West, 36, listed as homeless, was arrested in connection with second-degree battery of an officer; disorderly conduct — fighting; public intoxication — danger to self or others; misdemeanor resisting arrest; and misdemeanor fleeing on foot, according to records from the Sebastian County Adult Detention Center.

He remained in jail Monday on $1,600 bond.

West mimics having a handgun pointed at the officer and loudly says, “Boom!” while reacting physically from an imaginary recoil, as if he fired a round at the policeman, at one point in the one-on-one initial confrontation, the video shows.

Initially, a patrol officer en route to a call saw a person, who later was identified as West, repeatedly jump into traffic at Albert Pike Avenue and Kelley Highway, according to a news release from the Fort Smith Police Department.