Timothy Reaggle was taken into custody after authorities said he broke free from his handcuffs and assaulted two courthouse bailiffs shortly after being sentenced to a year in prison at the Columbiana County Courthouse. He was subdued near the courthouse entrance after deputies pursued him through the building, according to Daily Mail.
Authorities said the confrontation began on the courthouse's second floor as security bailiff Keith Thorn escorted Reaggle from the courtroom after sentencing, according to Salem News. Reaggle allegedly broke his front handcuffs, struck Thorn and knocked security bailiff Steve Boyd to the floor while fleeing through the hallway. The New York Post reported that the blow to Thorn landed in the throat. Thorn also serves as an elected councilman in Wellsville, Ohio.
Deputy Nick Rusyn pursued Reaggle down a stairwell, while Deputy Coltan Vollnogle and Drug Task Force Director Detective Jesse Smith intercepted him near the first-floor security station, according to The Review. Rusyn then used a Taser to subdue Reaggle near the courthouse's front doors. Sheriff Brian McLaughlin said Reaggle was being held at the county jail and would eventually be transported to state prison.
An Outburst Moments After Sentencing
Reaggle became emotional after the sentence and was reprimanded by Judge Scott Washam before he was taken into the hallway. He had remained free on bond until sentencing.
The judge imposed a one-year prison term. Prosecutors initially charged Reaggle with first-degree felony aggravated burglary and second-degree felonious assault, then agreed to a July plea deal reducing the counts to third-degree felony aggravated burglary and fourth-degree felony aggravated assault, according to the same report. Prosecutors sought a 15-month sentence, but Washam imposed 12 months. The New York Post reported that Reaggle withdrew his not guilty plea in July and pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, aggravated menacing, failure to comply and two counts of assault.
Grand Jury Will Decide New Charges
Captain Ryan Pike of the Columbiana County Sheriff's Office said the allegations arising from the courthouse incident would go directly to a county grand jury rather than being resolved through immediate formal charges, according to the East Liverpool Review. Reaggle therefore began serving his original sentence while prosecutors reviewed the new allegations. The New York Post reported that he had not yet been formally charged in the courthouse case; Sheriff McLaughlin said the potential allegations included two counts of felony assault against police officers, felony escape and resisting arrest.
Reports described injuries to both bailiffs and deputies involved in the struggle. McLaughlin told the Post that two deputies suffered broken bones and were released from a hospital. Salem News separately reported that Thorn was treated for injuries to his face and head and that Boyd was being checked.
A Violent Case That Started With a Valentine's Day Attack
Reaggle's original charges stemmed from a Valentine's Day 2025 incident in St. Clair Township, where he allegedly headbutted a woman in the face, tackled and beat a man outside, held a knife to a third victim's neck, and led police on a vehicle pursuit, as noted by The Morning Journal. The case later proceeded in Common Pleas Court.
The case took a detour in the months that followed. In August 2025, Judge Scott Washam ordered Reaggle to undergo a psychiatric competency and sanity evaluation at the Forensic Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio following motions filed by his defense counsel, the Morning Journal reported, and a status hearing was set.
What Ohio Law Says About Courthouse Escapes
How Ohio Courthouse Security Is Supported
Ohio county courts are responsible for implementing security procedures at their facilities, while the Supreme Court of Ohio's Office of Court Security can provide assistance. According to the Supreme Court of Ohio's Office of Court Security, that assistance can include comprehensive security assessments, emergency and security procedures, high-risk trial planning and checkpoint-screening training.
Courthouse Security Policies Vary by Local Need
Ohio courts are expected to tailor security policies to local conditions rather than follow one uniform statewide model. The Ohio Judicial Conference says each court must review its needs and formulate policies based on local needs and realities. According to the Supreme Court of Ohio's Office of Court Security, the office can assist county and local courts with security assessments, emergency procedures, high-risk trial planning and checkpoint-screening training. Statewide comparisons are limited because courts have not been required to maintain and report all security-related incidents since Jan. 30, 2001, although the Supreme Court's office recommends that courts record incidents for their own use. The supplied sources do not provide a separate comparison.
Because the courthouse allegations had not yet been formally charged, the specific offenses and any additional sentencing consequences remained unresolved. The potential escape allegation would be considered separately from Reaggle's original sentence.
Separately, the sources do not establish the specific statutory treatment of assaults involving peace officers or court officers performing official duties. The sources also do not establish whether any such provision applies to Thorn and Boyd.
