Staff Reports
A local man is in custody on several charges after he was accused of biting a Columbus Police officer twice while being taken into custody after officers responded to a report of a disturbance on Saturday night.
At about 7:20 p.m., CPD officers were sent to the 1400 block of Sycamore Street in regards to a disturbance involving a man waving a firearm.
When the officers arrived, they observed Ernest “Ernie” T. Nichols Jr., 43, of Columbus, standing near a parked vehicle, said Lt. Matt Harris, Columbus Police Department spokesman.
Nichols was uncooperative with officers and entered the parked vehicle, Harris said. Nichols then began reaching towards a firearm that was in the vehicle, Harris said. During a struggle with Nichols, he reportedly bit a CPD officer twice.
The officers utilized a Taser to remove Nichols from the vehicle, however, he continued to resist and put his hands in the waist band of his pants, Harris said. The officers were eventually able to secure Nichols in handcuffs and transported him to Columbus Regional Hospital for medical clearance, Harris said.
Upon his discharge from the hospital, Nichols was remanded to the Bartholomew County Jail with a 48-hour hold on the following preliminary charges:
Possession of a firearm by serious violent felon
Battery on a law enforcement officer
Battery by bodily waste
Resisting law enforcement
Public intoxication
