A 61-year-old man stopped by police for riding his bike on a Division Street sidewalk is facing a felony charge of resisting arrest after scuffling with police, authorities said. View Full Caption Getty Images/David Paul Morris

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A 61-year-old man stopped by police for riding his bike on a Division Street sidewalk is facing a felony charge of resisting arrest after scuffling with police, authorities said.

David Stuckey was riding on the sidewalk in the 400 block of West Division Street Sunday afternoon when police stopped him for violating a city ordinance that bars biking on most sidewalks, according to court records.

But what started out as a minor ticket quickly escalated when Stuckey swallowed what police believed to be a small bag of drugs and became "belligerent," prosecutors said.

When approached by an officer, Stuckey pulled something from his pocket, put it in his mouth and swallowed, according to a police report. He then volunteered that he was on parole and "became agitated."

The officer, afraid Stuckey might get physical, attempted to put him in handcuffs, according to the report.

Stuckey refused to put his hands behind his back and struggled against the officer, causing both to fall to the ground. One officer broke a pinkie finger, prosecutors said.

"It's just a $5 bag," Stuckey said when the officer regained control, according to a police report.

He appeared in bond court briefly Tuesday charged, with felony resisting arrest and violating the no biking on the sidewalk ordinance, which carries a $200 penalty.

Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas released Stuckey on electronic monitoring Tuesday, but first gave him a warning.

"You cannot ride your bike on the sidewalk," the judge told him.