POCATELLO — A 26-year-old local man faces up to five years in prison if convicted of striking a Pocatello police officer inside a bar last week, court and police records show.

Michael James Archer, of Pocatello, faces charges of felony battery on a police officer and two misdemeanor counts of possessing a prescription drug without a prescription.

The incident began to unfold shortly before 2 a.m. on July 27 when Pocatello police officers were dispatched to the Oasis Bar in downtown Pocatello for the report of a disturbance, according to police and court records the Idaho State Journal obtained Thursday.

Upon arrival, police observed a man, later identified as Archer, engaging in a verbal argument with the bartender and another patron inside the bar, police said.

When Archer saw the officer he aggressively walked toward him and appeared highly intoxicated, said police, adding that Archer ignored several commands to back up and calm down.

Archer continued to act aggressively toward the officer and was instructed to place his hands behind his back as he was being detained, though Archer refused, police said.

When the officer attempted to grab Archer’s wrist to place him in handcuffs, Archer pulled away from the officer and then swung at him, missing but knocking off the officer’s body-worn camera, according to police reports.

Archer then told the officer, “Come on,” and assumed a fighting stance as if he was challenging the officer to a fist fight, police said.

The officer was able to briefly pin Archer against the wall and attempted to secure him in handcuffs but was unsuccessful, police said. As the officer backed off for a moment, Archer swung at the officer again but missed, police said.

The officer eventually unholstered his Taser device and after Archer refused five more commands to put his hands behind his back, the officer Tased Archer, placed him in handcuffs and arrested him, police said.

Inside Archer’s pants pocket, officers located a pill bottle that did not belong to him that officers would later learn contained the prescription drugs Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant and nerve pain medication, as well as Metronidazole, an antibiotic that is used to treat a wide variety of infections, police said.

Archer was transported and booked into the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello following the incident.

Archer appeared in front of 6th District Judge Steven Thomsen for an arraignment hearing on July 28, during which he was ordered to be released from jail on his own recognizance, court records show.

Archer is due back in court on Aug. 8 for a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors will attempt to prove there is enough evidence against him to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.

If convicted of the felony battery on a police officer charge, Archer faces no less than one and up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

Both of the misdemeanor counts of possessing a prescription drug without a prescription each carry a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up $1,000.