WILLISTON, N.D. – Mayhem at the Williston Walmart that began with the alleged theft of a $13 pair of shoes landed a man in jail facing a dozen charges, including the assaults of three police officers.
Williston police received a report last Friday morning of an unruly male after Walmart employees saw a man ripping the tags from a pair of shoes and walk past the cashiers without paying for them.
The man, later identified as William Dean Jessop of Williston, is accused in court records of striking a female Walmart employee in the face with the shoes after she approached him about the theft.
Court records say:
Officers approached Jessop in the Subway restaurant within Walmart and he became combative, headbutting one of the police officers and breaking his glasses.
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After police used a Taser on Jessop, he continued to fight with officers and kicked the first one in the face and struck a second officer in the face. Jessop then ran through the produce aisle, throwing a bag of oranges at an officer, knocking down a small child and knocking a tray of bread products into an officer’s path.
After the officers had Jessop in custody, Jessop attempted to head butt a third officer and repeatedly said the officer was “going to die.”
The drama did not end after Jessop was in custody.
Later the same day, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office received a report of home burglary and a stolen pickup.
Investigators tied Jessop to the stolen vehicle – which was found in the fire lane of Walmart – through video surveillance and a set of keys he discarded during the struggle, court records say.
Jessop is charged with three counts of simple assault of a peace officer, class C felonies, as well as class A felony theft of property, class C felony burglary, class C felony criminal attempt, class C felony preventing arrest and several misdemeanor offenses.
When interviewed by officers, Jessop said he had been smoking meth all week, court records say. Among the misdemeanor charges were theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Court records did not list an attorney for Jessop.
