Jason Barker

Story updated at 4:56 p.m. Friday, April 5, 2019:

Lawrence police arrested a man — whom they’ve dealt with before under similar circumstances — after he reportedly exposed himself, then punched and wrestled with an officer at Walmart, 3300 Iowa St.

The suspect, who suffers from mental illness, has been arrested multiple times in recent years for disorderly conduct and battery on police officers. He’s also been known to carry a knife, police have said in court records.

The latest incident happened about 7:20 p.m. Thursday, when police were dispatched to Walmart for a man removing his clothing and yelling at customers, Officer Derrick Smith said in an email to media. He said the arriving officer found the man, exposed, in the parking lot.

When the officer tried to handcuff the suspect, who was walking away when commanded to stop, the man began to punch the officer, Smith said. He said the officer and suspect grappled on the ground before two civilians helped the officer get the man into handcuffs.

Smith said he didn’t have information on the extent of the police officer’s injuries.

Jason W. Barker, 43, of Lawrence, was arrested on suspicion of battery on a law enforcement officer, interfering with law enforcement and lewd and lascivious behavior, according to corresponding jail records. Douglas County District Court records show Barker was charged with those crimes, all misdemeanors, on Friday.

In 2016, Barker was arrested three times and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, property damage and battery — including battery on police officers, court records show. Each time, he was released on a personal recognizance bond with orders to take prescribed medications and work with Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.

In the first 2016 case, on Jan. 23, police arrested Barker outside Glory Days Pizza, 4821 W. Sixth St. He’d gone into the business twice while holding a knife, yelling and pounding on the door of the women’s bathroom, according to a police affidavit. The second time there was a woman and her child in the bathroom with the door locked, and Barker yanked the handle off the door.

Police said Barker was yelling “rambling profane unintelligible statements” and had a large kitchen knife in the front seat of his car, where officers found and handcuffed him.

In the early morning hours of June 2, 2016, Barker showed up at the police station and yelled profanities at officers, then returned to his home in East Lawrence and began yelling and threw an item at his neighbor’s house, according to a police affidavit. Arriving officers saw him carrying a shovel.

When police tried to arrest him, Barker head-butted one officer in the face and continued to resist after officers took him to the ground, according to the affidavit. On the way to jail, he spit in another officer’s face.

On Nov. 27, 2016, Barker was arrested and charged with battery on a man he knew, according to court records.

All three 2016 cases were dismissed in May 2017 because Barker “successfully completed” the Behavioral Health Court program, prosecutors wrote.

In August 2017, Barker was charged with felony criminal threat against the battery victim and a woman, plus misdemeanor domestic battery against the woman, and again released with orders to take his medications, court records show. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery and was sentenced to six months probation.

After Barker failed to take his medications, according to his probation officer, a judge ordered him to Osawatomie State Hospital for further mental competency evaluation and treatment, court records show. After about three months at the facility, Barker returned to court in February of this year and was released; the judge revoked his probation and sentenced him to time served.

In his newly filed case, court records indicate Barker was given a $2,000 cash or surety bond. As of 5:20 p.m. Friday, Barker was still in custody, according to jail records. His next hearing is set for April 10.