MITCHELL – Officers arrested 52-year-old Sean E. Spencer on Wednesday, June 4, following a domestic disturbance where he allegedly battered family members and physically resisted a police officer, causing bodily injury.
According to an affidavit for probable cause filed by Officer Blackwell of the Mitchell Police Department, officers were dispatched to a physical domestic incident in the first block of South 1st Street at approximately 10:28 p.m. Upon arrival, Officer Blackwell spoke with a male who indicated Spencer was inside. Inside the home, Officer Blackwell found Sean Spencer lying on the floor in a fetal position, appearing highly intoxicated.
While Officer Blackwell attempted to gather information from the male caller and a female, Spencer reportedly became confrontational and attempted to push past the officer. When Officer Blackwell tried to separate the parties, Spencer allegedly shoved the officer, leading to an attempt to place him under arrest.
During the struggle, Spencer reportedly resisted attempts to handcuff him by shoving, tensing, and grabbing the officer’s vest. Officer Blackwell stated that Sean Spencer struck him in the face, knocking off his glasses and displacing a lens. The officer then used closed-hand strikes to Spencer’s torso and once to his face, at which point Spencer fell to the ground. Spencer continued to resist being handcuffed, attempting to kick the officer. Sheriff’s Deputies arrived to assist, and Spencer was eventually restrained and handcuffed.
Upon further investigation inside the home, officers found evidence of a large fight, including displaced furniture in the kitchen, and items strewn about a bedroom and living room, along with a destroyed television. Both the male caller and the female stated they had been hit or shoved by Spencer and reported threats to their lives. The male caller specifically reported that Spencer threatened to kill the female with a pipe from the garage.
The male later completed a signed battery affidavit. The female declined to file paperwork.
Spencer was medically cleared by the hospital and subsequently remanded to the Lawrence County Jail by Sheriff’s deputies. It was noted that earlier the same day, Mitchell Police officers had dealt with Spencer in a separate incident where he was intoxicated and given a courtesy night at a motel to separate parties, during which he was reportedly cordial.
Spencer faces preliminary charges including resisting law enforcement, causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, battery against a public safety official, causing bodily injury, a Level 5 felony, and two counts of communication intimidation, Level 6 felonies.
A Probable Cause Affidavit outlines the initial findings and allegations that led to an arrest. Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
