Independence Officer sustains fractured vertebrae after suspect causes fall

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (KCTV) - An Independence Police Officer is recovering from a fractured vertebrae after a suspect allegedly caused a fall down a stairwell that took him down as well.

Jackson County, Missouri, Circuit Court records filed on Monday, May 5, indicate that Maurice A. Williams, 22, of Independence, has been charged in connection with a fall that fractured the vertebrae of an officer.

A probable cause statement filed by the Independence Police Department revealed that around 4:10 a.m. on Monday, law enforcement officials were called to an area apartment complex with reports of a disturbance.

When first responders arrived, they said they found a woman who reported Williams had jumped on her car in an attempt to stop her from leaving. Meanwhile, Williams, who was at the top of a stairwell, was placed in handcuffs.

As law enforcement officials tried to escort Williams down the stairs, he became combative and dropped his body weight, which caused him and an officer to fall down the stairwell. As they fell, an officer at the bottom of the stairs was also taken down. He was taken to a local hospital with a vertebral fracture and head injury.

During an interview with investigators, they indicated that Williams admitted his actions may have contributed to the fall. As a result, he has been charged with assault in the second degree and resisting arrest.

As of Thursday, May 8, Williams remains behind bars in Johnson County, Missouri, with no bond listed and on a hold for the Independence Police Department. A hearing in the case has not yet been scheduled. No further information has been released.

Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.