By JOSHUA WOLFSON
Star-Tribune staff writer
Thursday, July 30, 2009 12:30 PM MDT

Police arrested two Casper Harley Davidson workers Tuesday following an incident that began when an officer stopped six Hells Angels outside the dealership.

In a report on the incident, the officer stated Frank Hardman and John McClelland put police in danger by interfering with them during the traffic stop.

"To confront a police officer while he is dealing with six fairly uncooperative Hells Angels is unthinkable," Officer Joe Moody wrote in an affidavit describing the incident.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the arrest and their attorney, Dallas Laird, said they are good people who don't have a problem with police.

"They are both nice guys and the case will get resolved," Laird said. "They both respect the police."

The incident began Tuesday morning when Moody responded to a report of six motorcyclists running red lights through Casper. The bikers had Hells Angels patches on their backs, according to Moody's affidavit.

Moody followed the men to the Harley Davidson dealership. He described the men as verbally abusive and antagonistic toward him.

As the officer spoke with the bikers, Hardman, 52, and McClelland, 46, came out of the dealership and told them to move their motorcycles, according to Moody's affidavit. The group's leader allegedly replied they would wait until "Barney Fife finished his investigation."

Moody's affidavit states he was talking to dispatch on his radio when McClelland and Hardman approached him, and Hardman angrily told him he wanted the officer to move. The officer said Hardman refused to leave, and McClelland began to shout at him, as well.

"Officer Moody quickly found himself in a dangerous situation that was getting worse," he wrote in the affidavit, explaining that he was no longer able to focus on the Hells Angels.

At that point, Moody grabbed Hardman's wrist and ordered him to put his hands behind his back. The officer said Hardman pulled away, and when Moody grabbed the wrist again, McClelland allegedly grabbed his arm.

A sheriff's deputy who was also on scene grabbed McClelland's arm and pushed him into a van, according to the deputy's affidavit. McClelland allegedly spun around and punched the deputy in the face.

Moody then used his taser on McClelland, who went to the ground, where he was handcuffed. Hardman was also arrested.

McClelland faces charges of assault and batter and interference. Hardman is charged with interference.

Laird filed a motion in Natrona County Circuit Court on Wednesday seeking to dismiss Hardman's charges. Hardman did nothing to interfere with the traffic stop and merely made a reasonable request for the police to move their cars so customers could enter and exit the dealership, the attorney wrote.

Laird said his clients are not associated with the Hells Angels.

Without commenting on the facts of the case, Laird said many people generally don't know how to interact with police while officers are performing an investigation.

"It's not their intent to interfere," he said.

Laird said some witnesses might have filmed parts of the incident, but he hasn't seen any video yet.

The Hells Angels, meanwhile, were warned against running red lights and released.