Northern Michigan Man Accused Of Spitting On, Assaulting Media

LEELANAU COUNTY, MI — A Traverse City man has been charged with assault after sheriff's deputies said he spit on members of the media during an event featuring Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in northern Michigan Thursday.

The 39-year-old man, whose name was not released, was lodged in the Leelanau County Correctional Facility Thursday and charged with two counts of assault and battery and one count of malicious destruction of property after deputies said he threw one reporter's microphone and spit on another.

The governor was in the area to announce a bill that supported outdoor recreation in Michigan.

According to the Leelanau County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the area of Discovery Pier in the 13000 block of S. West Bay Shore Drive in Elmwood Township to help with a person who was "creating a disturbance."

Deputies said they identified the man shortly after their arrival and, while they monitored him, he got into a heated argument with another attendee.

The discussion was overheard by members of the media in attendance, who then came to watch the argument, deputies said. Soon after, the man assaulted one member of the media by forcefully grabbing a microphone out of her hand and throwing it, deputies said.

Deputies made contact with the man to take him into custody when he spit on another member of the media, according to deputies.

The man was arrested and lodged at the Leelanau County Correctional Facility, deputies said.