Christopher Nathaniel Easley

On March 21, 2026, at approximately 12:50 A.M., Officer Hansen of the Austin Police Department was on patrol near the intersection of 21st Avenue and 6th Street NW in the City of Austin, County of Mower, when he observed an adult male, later identified as CHRISTOPHER NATHANIEL EASLEY, DOB/043091, the defendant herein, riding a child [NAME REDACTED] in the roadway traveling northbound. The bicycle was not equipped with a rear reflector or light, nor was it equipped with a front-facing light as required during nighttime.

Officer Hansen drove up next to the defendant to speak with him regarding the bicycle’s lack of lighting and to identify the rider. Hansen closely paralleled the defendant in the 2300 block of 6th Street NW and asked him to “hold up”” through his open driver’s side window. The defendant had his hood up and pulled far in front of his face. The defendant was also looking westbound to his left despite riding northbound for the duration the officer was next to him. Based on his training and experience, Hansen knows that subjects involved in criminal activity commonly make efforts to conceal their identity to avoid contact or identification by law enforcement.

After Officer Hansen spoke to the defendant and he did not respond or acknowledge the officer’s presence, Hansen briefly flashed his emergency lights to indicate to the defendant to stop, but the defendant continued. The defendant then pulled into the driveway of the residence at 700 23rd Avenue NW as Hansen activated his emergency lights. Hansen exited his squad and approached the defendant who had stopped. As Officer Hansen approached the defendant to advise him that he needed lights on his bicycle and asked for his name, Hansen recognized the defendant.

Hansen knew the defendant had an active warrant for his arrest as well as an extensive history of being uncooperative and fleeing from law enforcement. Hansen went to grab the defendant’s arm, but he rapidly pulled it away while turning his body and fled on foot eastbound. Hansen was able to grab the defendant within a few steps. Hansen wrapped his arms around the defendant’s torso and dropped his weight downward, bringing both the defendant and the officer to the ground. While Hansen grabbed the defendant’s hands behind his back, the defendant continually resisted and tried to pull his hands away from his back.

Hansen commanded the defendant to put his hands behind his back and advised him that he was under arrest. The defendant eventually stopped pulling away and Hansen was able to put him in handcuffs and escort him to the squad car. During the search of the defendant, Officer Hansen located a small cardboard box from the defendant’s upper jacket pocket. Located inside the box were numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia and a Reese’s candy wrapper containing a white crystalline substance (later field tested positive for methamphetamines and weighed 0.12 grams). The defendant was transported to the Mower County Jail.