A Summit County grand jury has indicted a Barberton man on a felonious assault charge after police say he struck an officer in the head with a hammer during a domestic call. The 34-year-old, identified as Jacob Culbertson, is also charged with domestic violence and resisting arrest and remains in custody. The officer was treated at Summa Barberton Hospital and is expected to recover.
According to Cleveland 19, the grand jury returned the indictment today, and Culbertson is scheduled to be arraigned on March 9. The station reports officers said Culbertson had barricaded himself in a bedroom, and that they forced their way in before the alleged hammer attack.
Local reporting shows the incident began around 6:45 a.m. on Feb. 2 on the 600 block of Charles Avenue, after Culbertson's father called police to report his son had been drinking and turned violent. The father told dispatch that his son threw a beer can that hit him in the arm. When officers arrived, they found Culbertson barricaded, and an officer was reportedly struck when police forced entry into the room, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
Detectives recovered a hammer they say was used in the assault, along with a ballistic vest and a pocketknife. Officers said Culbertson was subdued with a taser and then handcuffed. The officer was treated at the scene and taken to Summa Barberton Hospital, while Culbertson was booked and transferred to the Summit County Jail, The Barberton Gazette reports. “These are the types of dangers law enforcement officers all over the country face every day,” Barberton Police Officer Marty Eberhart told the paper.
Charges and next steps
Under Ohio law, felonious assault covers knowingly causing serious physical harm or causing harm with a deadly weapon, with tougher penalties when the victim is a peace officer, according to the Ohio Revised Code. Prosecutors will now prepare the case for Summit County court, with the March 9 arraignment expected to set the schedule for future hearings and any pretrial motions.
Court dockets and filings will determine whether the indictment leads to additional charges or legal challenges before the case moves toward trial.
