BLANCHESTER — A man faces multiple charges after the suspect was involved in several public incidents while allegedly under the influence of narcotics, then resisted arrest and injured an officer, according to police.

At around 11 a.m. Monday police were called to Heartland Building Supply at 214 E. Cherry St.

Staff there reported a man entered the business, appeared to be under the influence of an illegal narcotic, and was yelling that he needed a job, according to a news release by Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt.

“Officers arrived in the area and found the man, later identified as Joshua Johnson, walking on South Grove Street outside the business. He was carrying a flower pot,” stated Reinbolt. “When officers asked him to stop so they could speak with him, he tossed the flower pot and ran off, with officers giving chase.”

Reinbolt said officers lost sight of the man two blocks away near South Broadway and Bourbon Streets, but continued to patrol the area looking for him.

“Ptl. Cody Lee spotted him in the passenger seat of a black Cadillac traveling in an alley behind Bill Martin’s Auto Center on South Broadway Street,” said Reinbolt. “ Johnson fled from the car, with Ptl. Lee again giving chase. The man ran several blocks to the McDonald’s restaurant at 210 West Main Street. He ran two laps around the restaurant and then went inside.”

Reinbolt continued, “Inside the restaurant officers tried to place Johnson under arrest. He refused to follow commands, made statements that seemed disconnected from reality and continued to move about and was tased. The taser had little impact on him and officers took him to the floor, where Johnson physically resisted efforts to place him in handcuffs. He was tased again, with little impact. Officers were finally able to handcuff him and he was transported to the Clinton County Jail.”

Ptl. Kristen Jeffers made inquiry at Heartland Building Supply as well as at other homes in that neighborhood. She learned that Johnson had been an uninvited guest on the front porch of two homes and had entered a vehicle on the property of one homeowner, according to Reinbolt.

Johnson, age 32, whose last known address was in Bethel, Ohio, was charged with two counts of criminal trespass and one count of resisting arrest.

Reinbolt said Ptl. Lee suffered injury to his knee and leg in the effort to apprehend Johnson. He is currently recuperating at home.