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.
