WingHouse Customer Refused to Pay, Hit Manager, Fought Cop

A New Port Richey Police officer went to Ker’s WingHouse at 6515 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey Monday after learning someone was refusing to pay a bill.

By the time the officer arrived, the accused, Michael Joseph Richey, was signing a credit card receipt, according to an arrest report. Richey looked intoxicated and stepped to the edge of the patio, the report states.

The WingHouse manager told the officer Richey had hit him and he wanted him arrested.

Richey cursed at the manager and two other people on the patio, according to the report.

The police officer told Richey to sit down, and Richey told him he was leaving and cursed at him, too. The police officer told him a second time to sit down, and Richey refused.

At that point, the officer took hold of Richey’s right wrist and left shoulder and told him again to sit as he pushed him down. Richey tensed and resisted and continued to resist as the officer took him down.

The officer fired a Taser onto Richey’s mid-section, according to the report. Richey kept resisting and tried to get the Taser away from the officer, but failed. The officer was eventually able to get Richey under control with the help of other officers.

Richey was arrested and charged with battery and resisting arrest. He remained in the Land O' Lakes Jail Wednesday in lieu of $5,500 bail.