James French will finish his beer when he’s damn well ready

James E. French told police that he led them on a wild police chase — blowing through red lights and narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic — so he could take his cousins, ages 7 and 10, home.

Jackson County prosecutors charged 23-year-old French today with resisting arrest, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and driving with a revoked license.

Court records say French led police on a chase, finally stopping his cousins’ house at 30th and Bales. French exited his vehicle with a beer in his hand. Officers told him to stop and drop the beer, but French kept walking toward them “while finishing the beer.” This did not go over well with the officers, who had to physically restrain French because they say he was resisting arrest. 

French later told detectives he knew they were trying to stop him for an outstanding warrant, but he wanted to get his cousins home so they wouldn’t see him physically pulled him from the car.