Austin man gets three years probation after hitting man, spitting at officers

Published 6:54 am Friday, January 15, 2010

An Austin man who hit another man in the eye at a bar — and then spit at police officers — was sentenced to three years probation Thursday.

William Roland Johnson, 30, will serve 13 months in prison if he violates the terms of his probation, which include random drug testing, 40 hours of community service and a psychological evaluation.

The incident in question occurred April 6.

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According to a criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to Mickey’s Place in downtown Austin regarding an alleged assault.

They spoke with a 29-year-old man who said Johnson first hit on his fiancé and then punched him in the right eye without being provoked.

Johnson was arrested at the nearby Margaritaville bar, and he proceeded to fight with the cops. He spit at two of the three officers trying to restrain him. Eventually, the cops used a chemical irritant spray and a Taser to subdue Johnson.

Johnson was also concurrently sentenced for a separate domestic assault incident Thursday. According to a criminal complaint, Johnson got into a violent dispute with his girlfriend at their home in August.