Worthington man facing long list of charges

A warrant’s been issued for the arrest of a Worthington man accused of spitting on an officer, kicking a computer and radios in a patrol vehicle, and other combative behavior.

John Bennett

John Henry Bennett, 48, Worthington, was arrested last Thursday on a warrant issued out of Vigo County in a case involving felony theft. He was then transferred to Vigo County and released after a court appearance. Now he’s facing a new case that’s been filed against him resulting from behavior that allegedly occurred when he was taken into custody.

This all started last Thursday, November 8, around 6:50 p.m., when Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Davis Aerne was dispatched to an apartment on South Edwards Street in Worthington to assist Officer Timothy Inman of the Worthington Police Department with a domestic incident.

When Deputy Aerne arrived, he talked to a woman who allegedly said she was tired of Bennett getting drunk and hitting her. She told him about earlier incidents and said he’d just started another argument, that he lives with her but isn’t on the lease. She didn’t want to press charges, she just wanted him to leave.

Deputy Aerne said when he asked Bennett for identification, he said he didn’t have any and he said his name was Fred Flintstone. A records check showed Bennett was wanted on the Vigo County warrant and Officer Inman moved his patrol vehicle in preparation for transporting Bennett to jail.

In a probable cause affidavit prepared by Deputy Aerne, he details how Bennett was uncooperative with being placed in custody, attempted to pull away, attempted to leave the house, and kicked at Officer Inman before and after the walk to the patrol car.

Aerne alleges Bennett kicked the computer and radios in the patrol car and bit Officer Inman but no injury occurred because Bennett didn’t have his dentures in at the time.

Aerne says Bennett’s abusive behavior continued at the jail. He was booked in at 9:26 p.m.

Around 1:15 a.m., Deputy Aerne and Greene County Jail Officer Steve Dobson left to transport Bennett to Vigo County but on the way, Bennett informed them he is prone to have seizures and immediately after that, he did have a seizure. They pulled over and requested an ambulance.

They decided to transport Bennett to Greene County General Hospital for evaluation, but he had other seizures on the way, they pulled over again, sternum rubs were administered, other officers arrived to assist because according to Aerne, Bennett was very combative, abusive, uncooperative and spit on an officer.

Deputy Aerne reported that once they arrived at the hospital, Bennett continued to be uncooperative, combative, was screaming, and he refused tests.

After he was released from the hospital, he was transported back to the Greene County Jail.

Court records indicate Bennett was transferred to Vigo County at some point and did appear in a court hearing, then was released on his own recognizance.

This Wednesday, November 14, a criminal case was filed against Bennett in Greene Superior Court.

He’s facing preliminary charges of:

• Battery by bodily waste – victim is a public safety officer, a Level 6 felony,

• Battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 felony,

• Disorderly conduct – engaging in fighting or tumultuous conduct, a Class B misdemeanor,

• False informing, a Class B misdemeanor,

• Refusal to aid an officer, a Class B misdemeanor,

• Resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally forcibly resists, a Class A misdemeanor, and

• Criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor.

A warrant for Bennett’s arrest was issued yesterday, Thursday, November 15.