|
ERIC SMITH |
ROYCE SMITH |
Two brothers who are inmates at the Logan County Jail were charged Saturday evening with the assault of a corrections officer, a fifth-degree felony, following an incident at the jail.
Corrections Officer Lance Minnich, 23, sustained injuries to his face, including a busted lip and his nose was bleeding, as a result of the altercation. He received treatment from the jail nurse.
Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the jail about 7 p.m. on a report of a corrections officer who had been assaulted.
Corrections officers reportedly learned that the defendants, Eric K. Smith, 26, of 327 S. Miami St., Quincy, and Royce K. Smith, 23, of 209 E. Patterson Ave., Bellefontaine, were brothers and the officers entered their cell block in an attempt to separate the pair into different cell blocks.
Royce reportedly was sitting on a bunk and Eric was standing by the doorway when Corrections Officer Minnich and a female corrections officer entered the cell block. One of the brothers called the female officer a derogatory name, and then Eric allegedly punched Officer Minnich in the face.
Royce also attempted to enter the altercation, and Officer Minnich said he was unsure whether Royce took a swing at him.
Royce originally was lodged in the jail Tuesday for charges of trafficking in drugs, discharging a weapon in a prohibited area, concealed carry weapons permit violation, inducing panic and several other charges after he reportedly was observed walking along State Route 47 and was firing a pistol in the air, as previously reported.
His brother was lodged in the jail during January for charges of receiving stolen property.