By John Estridge
Brookville Town Council member Chuck Campbell was charged with felony Battery on a Public Safety Official (Franklin County Sheriff’s Department deputy) and Resisting Arrest, while his wife was charged with Resisting Arrest.
According to a Franklin County Sheriff’s Department Narrative, FCSD Deputy Dakota Huntsman responded to Riverfront Apartments in Brookville at 11:24 p.m., Monday, July 11. He responded to a report of a stabbing.
Also, on the scene were Brookville Police Department Officer Ryan Windle and FCSD deputies Enzinger and Maxie.
When Huntsman arrived at the scene, Windle was speaking with a juvenile female and another female in a stairwell of the apartment complex. Huntsman took the role as providing scene security and being ready to assist Windle with anything he would need.
Another car arrived at the scene, and Huntsman could hear a female say “F-it yeah send dad down there.”
Huntsman said he could see a male, later identified as Charles E. Campbell, 62, approaching where the officers were “while clinching a wooden club in his hand.”
“If you guys won’t do anything about this, then I will,” Campbell said to the officers. He then “began charging toward us angrily.”
Huntsman said he and Enzinger ordered Campbell to stop, but Campbell refused to stop. At that point, Huntsman said he and Enzinger “went hands on, and we ordered him to drop the club.
“Charles refused, and he began actively resisting by pulling away and struggling to get free,” Huntsman continued. “Charles was taken to the ground and suffered a laceration to his eyebrow as a result of the landing. While on the ground, he continued active resistance and would not release his weapon and tried to roll over. I drew my taser and ordered Charles to drop his weapon and comply or he would be tased.
“At this point, his wife (Donna Campbell) was nearby and attempted to pull me off of Charles,” Huntsman continued. “I pushed her away, and Charles said ‘Tase me then.’ “
However, Campbell apparently did not really want to get tased.
“I cycled my taser and gained Charles’ compliance,” Huntsman said.
According to Huntsman, Campbell was handcuffed while he was on the ground. However, at this point, Huntsman said Donna attempted to interfere, causing Huntsman to tell her to back off. After Huntsman ordered Donna back, Charles began kicking Huntsman.
“Charles kicked me twice in my leg while Maxie attempted to control him (Charles Campbell),” Huntsman said.
Deputy Maxie attempted to deescalate the situation; however, the Campbells refused to calm down.
“He (Maxie) asked Charles if he wanted to sit up, and Deputy Maxie did not receive a reply,” Huntsman said. “While on the ground and in handcuffs, Charles and his wife both were yelling at the juveniles who were observing through their apartment window. Charles stated he would “kick their f-ing asses.”
EMS came to the scene and cleaned Campbell’s lacerated eyebrow. Huntsman then took Campbell to Margaret Mary Hospital in Batesville for clearance before taking him to the Franklin County Security Center.
While en route to the hospital, Charles Campbell calmed down, Huntsman said.
“Charles calmed down and stated that he wasn’t trying to come after us with the club, but he was trying to scare or intimidate the juveniles his daughter was having issues with and that he ‘had enough of this bullshit and is at his wits end with the situation.'”
After Campbell was cleared by the hospital, Huntsman took Campbell to the Franklin County Security Center and booked him into jail.
The Battery on a Public Safety Official is a Level 6 Felony and Resisting Arrest, is a class A misdemeanor.
Donna is charged with Resisting Arrest, as a class A misdemeanor.
If convicted of a Level 6 Felony, Charles could receive a sentence of six months to 2.5 years in jail. A class A misdemeanor conviction could result in a sentence of up to 12 months.
According to Franklin County Prosecutor Chris Huerkamp, the initial hearing will be July 26, in Franklin Circuit Court II before Franklin Circuit Court II Judge Clay Kellerman.
“Donna Campbell was not arrested that evening and a summons has been issued for her appearance at an initial hearing scheduled for August 16,” Huerkamp said in a press release.
Investigations into other incidents at the Riverfront Apartment complex from that evening remain ongoing, Huerkamp said.