CENTRALIA, IL — A 23-year-old Centralia man was charged Wednesday in Marion County Court with aggravated battery of a police officer for an alleged incident Tuesday at the Walmart gas station on Centralia’s west side.

According to Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson, his officers responded to the Walmart parking lot Tuesday on a report of a domestic disturbance. Dodson says Joshua Canada was involved in a domestic disturbance with his boyfriend when officers were called to remove the men from the parking lot. At one point, Canada reportedly became aggressive with his boyfriend and the boyfriend sprayed him with pepper spray but neither man wanted to press charges against the other. As officers continued to get the two men to leave the property, however, other family members arrived and became involved in the disturbance. Dodson explains that when two females who had arrived started becoming aggressive with each other, Centralia Police Lt. Jamie James stepped in between to separate the women and Canada then punched Lt. James in the side of the head.

Canada was then taken into custody and transported to the Clinton County Jail. He was formally charged Wednesday with two counts Class 2 felony aggravated battery of a police officer and one count misdemeanor resisting a police officer. His bond was set at $5,000 and he’s next scheduled to appear on the charges December 15 for a preliminary hearing and a first appearance with his court-appointed attorney.

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