Jacob Rice
A jury of seven men and seven women were selected Tuesday in the Bartholomew Circuit Court trial of Jacob Rice, accused of attempted murder of a Columbus police officer.
The defendant, who will turn 40 next week, is charged with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon as a Level 6 felony. He’s also charged with theft of a firearm and theft of other property (a bicycle). Both are Level 6 felonies.
Rice, who gave a Columbus address prior to his arrest, is accused of firing a handgun at Columbus Police Sgt. Lukas Nibarger in the early morning hours of June 27, 2021 as the officer was investigating suspicious activity in the 3300 block of Grove Parkway in the Forest Park neighborhood, according to court records. Investigators accused Rice of firing one shot at Nibarger after the officer identified himself and told Rice to show his hands. The officer fired three shots in return, with one bullet striking Rice in the lower right back and abdomen, court records state.
In his opening comments, defense attorney Chris Monroe said a crime did occur in the 3300 block of Grove Parkway in the Forest Park neighborhood, where his client was shot.
But Monroe said he intends to prove that Rice had no intention of trying to shoot Nibarger.
The opening statements by Bartholomew County Deputy Prosecutor Jordan Lorenzo did not deviate much from the probable cause affidavit filed by Indiana State Police investigators. It states that Rice was caught looking through a house window at about 4 a.m. and fired at the officer after Nibarger identified himself, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The only witness called to the stand Tuesday was the homeowner, who was vacationing in Cincinnati and suffering from insomnia when he got an alert through his home security system that someone was walking across his property
The homeowner, who could see video and hear audio from surveillance cameras, saw a man walking a bicycle up his driveway and into his back yard. The witness said he waited 10 minutes to see if the individual left his backyard before calling 9-1-1.
Prosecutors are expected to call a witness who will provide extensive testimony this morning. Lorenzo also said he anticipates several law enforcement officers will be called to testify during the trial.
