MESA, AZ — A man has died after being arrested by Mesa police officers Saturday night.
Mesa police say they observed a man riding a bicycle in the roadway without a headlight near Dobson Road and University Drive around 8:30 p.m.
When officers attempted to stop the man, they say he ignored the officers and tried to flee.
Police eventually made contact with the man, but he reportedly resisted arrest and assaulted officers.
After a brief struggle, police say he was placed into handcuffs and arrested for aggravated assault on a police officer and on an active felony warrant.
The Mesa Fire Department was called to the scene after the struggle to provide medical aid.
The man was taken to the hospital to receive a pre-booking medical clearance.
But on the way, police say the man became unresponsive. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
He has been identified as 52-year-old Eric Baker.
Neighbors at the Buenas Apartments on University tell ABC15 they heard a commotion and saw bright police lights.
One man, who says he captured video of the encounter, says Baker was not fighting officers but instead was pleading and crying out that he couldn’t breathe. The video the alleged witness provided appears to show officers pinning a man to the ground outside the apartments; audio on the recording includes shouting that appears to say “stop resisting.”
Mesa police say that even after being handcuffed, Baker continued to display erratic behavior that included yelling, kicking, and flailing on the ground. Police say medical personnel could not read his vital signs because of the erratic movement.
It's not clear if any officers were hurt during the struggle.
Detectives and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office are investigating the man's cause of death.
