Posted Wednesday, December 26, 2012 --- 2:47 p.m.

Incident Report from the Madison Police Department:

Incident Type: Arrested Person

Incident Date: 12/21/2012 - 4:35 PM

Address: 43 East Towne Mall

Suspect(s):
Arrested: Nicholas A Coplien, male of McFarland, Wisconsin
CHARGES: Retail Theft & Resisting A Police Officer

Gary J. Moody, male of McFarland, Wisconsin
CHARGES: Retail Theft, Obstructing A Police Officer, Bail Jumping & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Victim: Sears

Details: On 12/21/2012, at approximately 4:35pm, an officer was working at East Towne Mall when he was flagged down by a loss prevention officer reference a theft. The LPO observed two suspects concealing merchandise from Sears, and he pointed out both parties in the parking lot. The officer scaled several snow mounds, in pursuit of the suspects, but momentarily lost sight of them. The officer then noticed a 2002 Saturn SC2 driving directly towards him, and when he elevated his hands to get the car to stop, the vehicle continued in his direction. The officer reported that he had no way to move out of the path of the moving vehicle, and was nearly struck before the vehicle finally came to a halt.

The driver, later identified as Nicholas Coplien, refused to exit the vehicle, citing he didn’t have to do anything. The officer struggled with Coplien to remove him from the vehicle and to place him in handcuffs, until a retired Madison Police Detective of 33 years drove up and assisted in taken Coplien into custody. Coplien’s associate, Gary Moody, had been directed by officers to keep his hands out of his pockets, but he failed to comply with simple commands as well.

Officers noted approximately $400 of jewelry that had been stolen from Sears, along with drug paraphernalia in the vehicle as well. Both suspects were booked into the Dane County Jail, and Moody misrepresented his identification which resulted in additional charges.