A defendant who used inappropriate language when addressing a judge during his initial hearing this week, on a charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon, was found to be in contempt of court and sentenced to 30 days in the county jail.

Tyler Robert Paul Heinich, 28, homeless, was arrested by Detective Shawn Cullison of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last Thursday afternoon, May 13.

Heinich was wanted on two warrants. One was to revoke a suspended sentence on his conviction for misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. But the other warrant was on a new felony charge and the warrant’s been outstanding since January.

On Saturday, January 9, GCSD Deputy James Carpenter, the investigating officer, was dispatched to a residence on East State Road 54, Bloomfield, at 10:43 a.m., after dispatch received information that Heinich had threatened a couple then fled their residence on foot with a knife.

One of the residents told Deputy Carpenter that Heinich had stayed at their home for three days after living homeless in Tennessee. She indicated Heinich may have needed medication but he didn’t have any to take. She said he had been up all night pacing and she described some disturbing behavior.

After Heinich had allegedly made a mess and she told him he needed to clean it up, she said he pulled out a fixed blade double-edged knife and held it in his hand. She told her husband she was going to call the police. Her husband was getting his handgun when Heinich started to advance towards her with the knife, but once she was on the phone with dispatch, Heinich stopped then ran outside and ran into a wooded area.

Deputies attempted to locate Heinich without success at that time.

A criminal case was filed against Heinich on a charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

After he was taken into custody by Det. Cullison and booked into the Greene County Jail at 5:14 p.m. last Thursday, he was being held without bond and scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court for his initial hearing this week, on Tuesday, May 18.

The hearing was conducted via a two-way video connection between the jail and the courtroom, but it didn’t go well.

According to court records, Heinich became agitated during the hearing and “characterized the judge using inappropriate language.” In other words, he called the judge a name that’s not acceptable. The ruling stated, “Use of such language and disrespect will not be tolerated by the court. Immediate action is necessary to maintain respect for the dignity of the court.”

Heinich was found in direct criminal contempt of court.

He was sentenced to 30 days in the Greene County Jail with no good time allowed.