Fremont police chief, angry defendant scuffle in courthouse lobby after case
By Laura Collins
Published in News on July 24, 2009 1:46 PM
What started as a simple court case for a Fremont man, ended with him wrestling the police chief in the courthouse lobby.
Chauncey Simms, 53, of Sycamore Street, was in Wayne County Court of Common Pleas Thursday for having more than two dogs at his residence, which is illegal in Fremont city limits.
Police Chief R.K. Rawlings said after the case Simms began yelling and cursing at him while he was going down the stairs.
According to the police report, Rawlings warned Simms he would get arrested, at which point he began to "wildly swing" at Rawlings and hit him in the face.
Rawlings said he and Simms "tussled all over the courthouse lobby for a few minutes" and wrestled on the floor. Security Officer Daymion Stevens assisted Rawlings while the chief got out his taser gun. Before getting tased, however, Simms allowed the officers to handcuff him.
He was charged with assault on an officer and held on $15,000 bond.
Rawlings said Simms, who had five dogs, was originally sent a letter advising him of the ordinance. An officer also personally took another letter to his home about the ordinance. In October 2008, he was finally charged for having more than two dogs. In February, one of his dogs allegedly chased his neighbor causing her to fall and injure herself. Simms was charged with dogs running at large. That charge is still pending.