Security footage shows a just-sentenced Ohio defendant snap a handcuff, throat-punch a deputy, and charge for the courthouse doors, leaving two officers with broken bones.
Story Highlights
- Local outlets say two Columbiana County deputies were injured after a sentencing turned violent.
- Reports describe a broken handcuff, a throat punch, a second deputy knocked down, and a taser stop near the exit.
- The suspect, identified as Timothy Reaggle of Wellsville, faced prior felony counts and pled to lesser charges in July.
- The sheriff’s office expected new felony charges, including assault on officers and escape.
What Happened In The Columbiana County Courthouse
Local reporters say the incident began right after sentencing in Judge Scott Washam’s courtroom in Lisbon on Monday afternoon. As deputies escorted Timothy Reaggle from the room, he broke free of a handcuff, punched a deputy in the throat, and ran toward the exit, according to consistent local coverage. A second deputy tried to stop him and was knocked down in the struggle. Deputies used a taser and subdued Reaggle near the courthouse doors.
Two deputies were hurt and taken to a local hospital for treatment. One outlet reported both deputies suffered broken bones, and another described visible head bleeding at the scene. Both deputies were later released from the hospital, according to a summary of the incident based on the television report. Local reporting did not list the deputies’ names or positions in the sheriff’s office. Those details were not provided in the coverage cited here.
Who Is The Defendant And Why He Was In Court
Local court logs and earlier news items trace Reaggle’s case back to 2025. He faced counts that included felonious assault, fleeing and eluding, and two assault charges, which were then bound over to a higher court in February 2025. A July 22, 2026 court report stated that he pleaded guilty to lesser offenses and had sentencing set for September 14, which aligns with the date of the courthouse incident reported by television and newspaper outlets.
Media accounts identify the defendant as Timothy Reaggle of Wellsville, Ohio, with his age reported as around 20 or 21. The outlets use the same name that appears in prior court coverage, tying the courthouse confrontation to the earlier case trail. This naming match strengthens the link between the plea record and the hallway struggle after sentencing. Local outlets did not publish an official incident report in the material reviewed.
Expected New Charges And The Status Of The Case
The county sheriff, as reported by a local paper, said new charges were expected. Those included two counts of felony assault on police officers, felony escape, and resisting arrest. Another outlet reported that it was not yet clear which charges would be filed at that time. The reports describe a likely path through the grand jury. A formal indictment was not present in the material reviewed, so the charging status beyond those expectations remains to be confirmed.
Local coverage noted that courtroom or security video captured the struggle. The reports describe the clip as showing the handcuff break, the throat punch, the deputy takedown, and the taser deployment near the exit. The outlets did not publish the full uncut security file within the cited articles, but they used the video to frame the sequence of events during the escape attempt and recapture inside the courthouse.
Why This Matters For Courtroom Security
This case highlights a risk point that sheriff’s offices and courts constantly manage: the handoff from sentencing to transport. Most escape offenses do not involve force, and many occur from less secure settings, not court hallways. Federal sentencing data show only 253 federal escape cases in fiscal year 2025, and less than one percent of escape cases in recent years involved the use or threat of force. That makes violent courtroom attempts rare, but the stakes are high when they happen.
An Ohio man broke out of his handcuffs and punched a deputy after being sentenced to 12 months in prison for burglary and assault.
Timothy Reaggle was being escorted out of a Columbiana County courthouse when he broke through his handcuffs and punched one deputy before trying to…
— No Jumper (@nojumper) September 16, 2026
People across the political spectrum worry that public institutions are not keeping them safe or accountable. An attack inside a courthouse hits those nerves. Taxpayers want competent staffing, working restraints, and plans that prevent injuries to officers and the public. Officers want clear policy, working equipment, and backup at the moment of risk. This event will likely prompt a review of escort practices, restraint checks, and staffing around courtroom exits during and after sentencing.
Sources:
thegatewaypundit.com, wfmj.com, salemnews.net, tmz.com, morningjournalnews.com, reviewonline.com
