Prosecutors accuse Kansas City man of assaulting two KCPD officers

Jackson County prosecutors have charged a 44-year-old man with assaulting two Kansas City police officers during a disturbance at a gas station on Friday.

Cecil E. Taylor of Kansas City faces multiple criminal charges including assault, resisting arrest, trespassing and property damage. The incident happened at the BP gas station at 15th Street and the Paseo.

Prosecutors requested a $75,000 bond.

According to court records, police responding to the call contacted the store clerk who was using a towel to soak up blood from his lip. The clerk said Taylor was there earlier and the two were involved an altercation.

Taylor was asked to leave but he returned later and punched the clerk in the face. Taylor also took the clerk’s cellphone, smashed it on the ground before he ran away, according to court records.

The officers later found Taylor near the westbound off-ramp at Interstate 70 and the Paseo.

Taylor punched one of the officers in the head when one of the officers tried to arrest him. Taylor punched the second officer when they tried to use their stun guns and pepper spray in an effort to subdue Taylor, prosecutors allege.

Taylor continued to hit and kick at the officers while they tried to handcuff him.

One of the officers sustained swelling to the left side of his head, scratches to his arm, a bruised hand and a sore right knee. The officer also had pain and redness to his eye where he was splashed with pepper spray.

The second officer had swelling to his left arm near his wrist where Taylor punched him.

Taylor was convicted in 2008 with resisting arrest and for assaulting a law enforcement officer, according to court records.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Prosecutors accuse Kansas City man of assaulting two KCPD officers."