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Warrant issued for arrest of Worthington man following Saturday afternoon incident

Multiple officers from various agencies responding to assist the Worthington Police Department last Saturday attracted the attention of many Worthington citizens. One man was detained during the incident and he is now facing drug charges.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Johnathan W. Jerrells, 26, Worthington, following an incident that occurred in Worthington last Saturday, March 5, investigated by Deputy Marshal Ryan Montgomery of the Worthington Police Department.

Around 12:35 p.m., Officer Montgomery responded to a residence on West Main Street when Greene County Dispatch advised him a suicidal man, identified as Jerrells, was armed with a handgun and had threatened to kill his wife, his child, and himself.

Numerous other law enforcement personnel from various agencies also responded to assist on the scene.

Officer Montgomery said after he arrived, a public address system was used to call Jerrells out of the residence but there was no answer for several minutes. And then a woman holding a small child came out the front door. Officer Montgomery escorted her to a safe location and she confirmed that Jerrells had a handgun in his pocket.

Then Jerrells came to the front door and was given several commands to come out with his hands up. Jerrells complied and when he stepped out, a handgun was found in the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt.

Jerrells was restrained then transported by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Harvey Holt to Terre Haute Regional Hospital for an immediate detention.

When Officer Montgomery talked to the woman, she provided him with a suicidal goodbye note written by Jerrells that she had found in their kitchen. Officer Montgomery said Jerrells had additional firearms and had recently been using illegal drugs.

Officer Montgomery said that due to the uncertainty of when Jerrells would be released from medical care and the potential of him suffering a relapse, the woman was asked for permission to search the residence and she agreed.

During the search, executed around 1:30 p.m., Worthington Town Marshal Jim O’Malley and Indiana State Police Officer Eric Nash reported finding a metal ammo box containing several rounds of various calibers of ammunition in the garage as well as a backpack style bag containing Q-tips with the cotton tips removed, a set of digital scales, several plastic zip bags containing a crystal substance and some that contained a brown powder substance. All of those bags field-tested positive for methamphetamine with a total weight of 4.1 grams. They also located more digital scales, razor blades, a glass smoking pipe and tube straws.

No further information regarding Jerrells has been released but a criminal case was filed against him in Greene Superior Court earlier today – Wednesday, March 9, and the arrest warrant was issued on charges of:

  • Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony, and

  • Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.