Tuesday, April 10th, 2007

Celina man charged for assaulting police officer

By Margie Wuebker
Charges of felonious assault have been filed against a local man after he allegedly threatened a Celina police officer with a large knife.
Spurgeon L. Hicks Jr., 43, 800 Touvelle St., Apt. 3, Celina, appeared Monday afternoon in Celina Municipal Court on a charge of felonious assault filed earlier in the day by Mercer County Assistant Prosecutor Matt Fox.
Celina patrolman Andy Regedanz and Colin Fueling responded to the apartment shortly after 3:30 p.m. Thursday after a caller reported Hicks was threatening suicide by ingesting pills.
Hicks allegedly threatened Regedanz with a whiskey bottle, yelled "I will show you" and then retrieved a large knife from an entertainment center. Hicks dropped the knife when Regedanz took evasive action and tackled him.
The man continued to struggle as Fueling applied handcuffs, allegedly telling Regedanz to consider himself fortunate that he could not get to his other knife. The officers quickly seized a large folding knife in a sheath attached to the man's belt.
Hicks was taken by ambulance to Joint Township District Memorial Hospital in St. Marys where he was kept overnight for treatment of an apparent overdose.
"I had my head in a bucket because I was drunk," Hicks told Judge James Scheer. "I didn't do the stuff they said I did. I went to turn down the stereo and picked up the knife. I wasn't going to hurt nobody."
The long-haired man shook his head as Fox requested a $500,000 bond due to the seriousness of the allegations.
"I think that sounds a little bit ridiculous," he added. "I am not a dangerous person."
Fox quickly replied Hicks posed a danger and the incident began as a suicide attempt. Other components included mental health issues and possible illegal drugs.
"I'd like to be shipped to the hospital to get medical help," the defendant announced loudly. Scheer assured him any medical issues would be addressed at the jail and set bond at $250,000.
The case likely will be transferred to Mercer County Common Pleas Court following a preliminary hearing.
The second-degree felony carries up to eight years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
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A 32-year-old Sidney man, who has confessed to kidnapping, raping and killing an elderly Fort Loramie woman, will remain in the Shelby County Jail without bond following a court appearance Monday morning. [More]
FORT RECOVERY - The Coldwater Cavalier softball team went on the road Monday afternoon and came home with a huge win scoring eight times in their last at bat to rally and beat Fort Recovery, 10-3, in the Midwest Athletic Conference opener for both teams. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Celina city officials are worried that some tax increment finance (TIF) revenue is failing to find its way into the proper accounts.
City council m
Celina city officials are awaiting EPA approval for designs for the proposed granular activated carbon (GAC) water treatment facility to be added to the city's existing treatment system.
WAPAKONETA - The Auglaize County Board of Health received good news recently concerning funding for several programs within the department.
Health
COLDWATER - Village council's environmental committee met recently to discuss steps to eliminate the sanitary department's structural sewer overflows (SSO).
NEW BREMEN - Board members approved the hiring of a speech pathologist for the youngsters in the early intervention program of Auglaize County Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD).
District maintenance supervisor said 300 feet of old pipe needs replaced
MARIA STEIN - Marion Local Schools board of education took a close look at drain problems Monday night without leaving the confines of their meeting room.
ST. MARYS - Council approved at Monday's meeting the initial financing for portions of the 2007 street program set to begin in May.
Notes will be i
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Teams began looking for a game after an extended break due to the inclement weather and Celina traveled down to St. Henry on Monday to face the Redskins for the second time in a week.
MARIA STEIN - Both the Marion Local and Versailles softball teams should earn varsity letters just for braving the elements on Monday.
The teams braved the cold, wind and even a couple of snow squalls.