Springfield man accused of assaulting Wittenberg police officer

Springfield News-Sun

Springfield News-Sun

A Springfield man is accused of assaulting a Wittenberg University police officer.

Stephen Wilson, 35, was charged with assault in Clark County Municipal Court. His arraignment was continued Tuesday and he is due back in court next month, online records indicate.

Wittenberg Police began their investigation at around 3 a.m. Tuesday when an officer saw a grey Volkswagen Passat parked illegally adjacent to a yellow curb in front of a stop sign on Park Place and Ferncliff Place, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

The officer says he saw Wilson passed out in the front passenger seat.

“I observed Mr. Wilson had urinated on himself and looked like he had fallen across the front seats. After several minutes I was able to get Mr. Wilson to wake up and assisted him out of the car as he couldn’t stand,” the affidavit says.

The officer said he could smell alcohol on Wilson’s breath and Wilson’s eyes were bloodshot and glossy, according to the affidavit.

“Mr. Wilson’s speech was heavily slurred, he had trouble holding his balance and when I asked him for his driver’s license he took out his bank debit card,” the affidavit written by a Wittenberg police officer says.

The officer asked Wilson where he was coming from, the affidavit says, and the man replied ‘from the university.’

The officer attempted to conduct a field sobriety test on Wilson, which the affidavit says Wilson initially agreed to, but instead Wilson didn’t comply.

“Mr. Wilson was given several opportunities to complete the test to which he refused to follow the instructions,” the affidavit says. “He then said ‘thank you’ and tried to walk past me, I told him not to walk away…”

The officer attempted to apprehend Wilson, the affidavit says, and a fight broke out as Wilson tried to avoid arrest.

“I attempted to grab his arm at which point he reared back with his arms and attempted to break free,” the affidavit says. “I wrestled Mr. Wilson to the ground as (another officer) arrived and we attempted to place him into custody. Mr. Wilson continued fighting, at one point striking (the other officer) in the face and dragging her face on the concrete, resulting in lacerations and bruising down the right side of her face.”

Wittenberg Police then requested assistance from Springfield Police and Wilson was eventually taken into custody.

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