A Dorr Township man who seriously injured an Allegan County deputy trying to arrest him was sentenced Tuesday to 19 to 40 years in prison.
Christopher Gerou, 37, also received credit for some 400 days served for the Sept. 11, 2023, assault that left Deputy Dillon Kibby with a serious head injury. Kibby, who was hospitalized for weeks after the incident, told the court the wound caused him to lose most of his sense of taste and smell.
Kibby was summoned to a Dorr neighborhood in September of 2023 because of a complaint that someone was driving back and forth at a high rate of speed without headlights. Gerou was apprehended outside his home and Kibby called for backup because the suspect appeared to be drunk and violent.
Gerou in his affidavit acknowledged driving to the end of his driveway to get his mail.
Kibby said he gave Gerou a roadside sobriety test, but he refused to take a portable breath test and began to use abusive language to the deputy. Kibby told Gerou he was under arrest, and tried to grab Gerou’s wrist at which point the suspect abruptly turned around and struck the deputy with his right arm in the head/neck. Kibby was knocked unconscious.
A Michigan State Trooper arrived shortly afterward and took Gerou into custody.
It has been reported widely that Gerou said “I hope he’s dead” while Kibby was laying in the driveway unconscious. It was determined he was bleeding at the back of his head.
Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch said Gerou also was singing the song, “I Shot the Sheriff.”
The prosecutor told the court said Gerou had a history of violence.
In the end, Gerou pleaded no contest to assaulting a police officer causing serious impairment, assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer, and operating (a motor vehicle) while intoxicated. Three other charges were dismissed, including assault with intent to murder.
