GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — A man has been charged in connection with an incident that prompted the cancellation of the Farmers Market in downtown Green Bay last weekend.
Craig Jerome Buford, 60, of Green Bay, was charged Tuesday in Brown County with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, knowingly fleeing or eluding an officer, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence (second offense) and more.
According to a criminal complaint, Buford was driving through a parking lot near South Washington and Doty streets at around 2:25 a.m. Saturday when he struck a woman in the knees with his car in a confrontation, after he had blocked in a car.
The altercation caused Buford to accelerate through the parking lot, forcing at least three uniformed Green Bay police officers to jump out of the way of his vehicle. One officer drew his weapon and ordered Buford to stop, but the suspect accelerated toward the officer, prompting another officer to fire four shots at Buford's vehicle, striking it multiple times.
The 60-year-old man did not stop, leading officers in a pursuit through several city streets until a PIT maneuver was used to stop the man in the 200 block of North Monroe Avenue, according to the complaint. Officers then conducted a high-risk traffic stop and took Buford into custody.
As NBC 26 has previously reported, four officers reported non-life-threatening injuries across the two incidents.
A blood draw was conducted for which results are pending. State records show Buford's driver's license had been revoked indefinitely since Feb. 15, 2022, following a prior OWI conviction that ordered the man to have an ignition interlock device installed in any vehicle he operates. No such device was found in the vehicle he was driving Saturday, according to the complaint.
Police said Saturday that officers involved were wearing body-worn cameras during both incidents, and that footage will be reviewed as part of the investigation. The officer who discharged their firearm has been placed on administrative leave, per Green Bay Police Department policy.
Buford is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.
