A Richwood man could be facing more than a decade in prison after allegedly headbutting a pair of police officers.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted James Nathan Hughes, 45, of 111 E. Ottawa St., Richwood, charging him with one count each of felonious assault and assault.
According to court documents, on April 18, police were called to Hughes’ home.
“He was too intoxicated to care for himself and he was creating a disturbance in the village by yelling at people,” Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said.
Additionally, Phillips said, Hughes was allegedly becoming argumentative with an individual who would not let him into their home.
When police officers arrived, they decided to arrest him for disorderly conduct.
“While being placed into custody, he allegedly headbutted two officers,” Phillips said.
He said that one of the officers suffered a concussion and was on “light duty for about 10 days.”
If convicted, Hughes could face as many as 10 years in prison.
Just days after the incident, Hughes allegedly broke into the First Baptist Church, 101 E. Ottawa St. Hughes entered the church through an open door. A security camera showed him walking on the upper level using a cellphone for a flashlight.
While in the church, James made himself food in the kitchen and took food and candy from various areas and offices in the church. Hughes spent the night in the church and “consumed several alcohol beverages.”
Court documents allege the man left cans, wrappers and other trash “all over the church.”
“James proceeded to urinate in several places that was not a restroom,” according to court documents.
At some point, Hughes allegedly went into the pastor’s office.
“While in the pastor’s office, James wrote on an envelope ‘Kill u all Kill u.’ James then wrote a smiley and a frowny face below the message,” according to court documents.
When church employees arrived at the church the next day, they read the note and feared Hughes would “cause serious physical harm to them.”
If convicted on the felony charges from the alleged assault, Hughes could face more than 11 years in prison.
In addition to the felony charges for the alleged head butting, Hughes has also been charged with aggravated menacing, criminal mischief and criminal trespassing, all misdemeanors, for his time allegedly inside the church. He could face more than six months in jail on those charges.
Also indicted was:
– Christian Carbajal, 21, of, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Carbajal is charged with two counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence and one count each of felonious assault and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer
At about 2:35 a.m., April 28, Marysville police spotted a red Jeep driving 46 miles per hour, south on North Main Street. Sachs said the vehicle was clocked going 46 miles per hour in a 25 mile an hour zone.
Capt. Nate Sachs, with the Marysville Division of Police, said that when the officer turned around, “the suspect vehicle accelerated.”
The vehicle went west on Fourth Street.
Sachs said police “briefly lost” the vehicle when it turned and “blacked out” its headlights.
The officer found the vehicle in a cul-de-sac in the area of Parkway Drive.
“He posted his cruiser at the end of the cul-de-sac in an effort to block it,” Sachs said.
Sachs said he isn’t sure what the officer had intended to do, but didn’t have the choice to do anything.
“The vehicle turned its lights back on and headed toward the officer, to the point that the officer thought he was going to hit him,” Sachs said. “The officer put his cruiser in reverse and the vehicle sped past him out of the cul-de-sac.”
The Jeep turned onto West Fifth Street then onto Route 245. Other officers joined the pursuit at that point. Sachs said the pursuit hit 90 miles per hour at one point. Additionally, Sachs said the man allegedly “blew through” multiple stop signs during the chase. He said there was no traffic on Route 245 at that time of day, but the pursuit was nearing a construction area.
Sachs said the driver, later identified as Carbajal, stopped the car.
“He just pulled over on his own and stepped out of the vehicle,” Sachs said.
He said the felonious assault charge should be filed as an attempted felonious assault for Carbajal’s alleged actions in nearly hitting the officer.
Carbajal is currently being held at the Tri-County Regional Jail. His bond has been set at $50,000.
If convicted on all counts, Carbajal could face as many as 16 years in prison.
– Kenneth A. Watts, 38, an inmate at the Pickaway Correctional Institution. Watts is charged with one count each of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility and aggravated possession of drugs.
Phillips said that on Dec. 29, Watts was arrested in Union County on a felony warrant out of Hardin County. During the arrest, Watts was asked if he had any drugs or weapons and he said he did not. He was searched by the officer, who found nothing.
Watts was taken to the Tri-County Regional Jail.
“There he was searched a little more thoroughly,” Phillips said.
He said that during the search, officials at the Tri-County Regional Jail allegedly found about 1.4 grams of meth in his underpants.
If convicted, Watts could face as many as six years in prison.
– Donald Lee Morford Jones, Jr., 58, of 93 Sumac Drive. Jones is charged with one count of assault.
According to court documents, on April 26, Marysville Police were investigating multiple fights at Stephen’s Lounge, 112 N Main St.
Phillips said Jones, “allegedly caused some issues with people inside the bar.’
“These people took it upon themselves to escort Mr. Jones out of the bar,” Phillips said.
Jones went back into the bar and allegedly continued to cause problems for patrons.
When police officers arrived, they repeatedly told Jones to leave.
“Jones argued with the officers and when they attempted to escort Mr. Jones out of the establishment, Mr. Jones punched (one of the officers) in the face with a closed fist, striking (the officer) in the nose,” according to court documents.
Officers were eventually able to take Jones into custody.
If convicted, Jones could face as many as 18 months in prison.
– Corey William Blackburn, 42, of Zanesfield. Blackburn is charged with two counts of failure to appear.
In 2022, Blackburn was charged with one count of having weapons under disability.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials were notified of a man that had been shot in the right shoulder. He was transported to the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and told investigators that he had accidentally shot himself with a .22 revolver.
At the time, Phillips said Blackburn was not permitted to have a gun because he was “a fugitive from justice.”
“He was a fugitive from justice because he has a failure to appear warrant out of Champaign County on a domestic violence,” Phillips said in 2022.
As part of that legal process, Blackburn was released on his own recognizance.
Court documents alleged he failed to appear as required for two separate hearings.
If convicted on the old charge, Blackburn could face as many as five years in prison. He could face an additional three years in prison if convicted on the new charges.