Boardman man assaulted officer, report says

BOARDMAN — A 34-year-old township man faces several charges after what started as a domestic violence call.

John M. Ferguson of Salinas Trail is charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, obstructing official business, criminal mischief and two counts of domestic violence.

Police were called about 2:30 a.m. Thursday to Ferguson’s home where his wife said he had thrown a half-full bottle of alcohol at her during an argument. The woman also said that Ferguson had punched the couple’s 11-year-old daughter in the back of her head.

Police found him in a locked bedroom, the door of which was secured from the inside with long drywall screws through the door frame.

After speaking with police for a few minutes, Ferguson removed the screws, a police report said, but argued with officers.

Police arrested Ferguson and placed him in the rear of a cruiser.

While seated in the cruiser in the driveway, Ferguson struck his head against the partition separating the front and back seats and began threatening to complain he was assaulted by officers, the report said.

Firefighters arrived and as they tried to administer first aid, Ferguson yelled profanities at them and spit blood them, the report said.

As Ferguson was escorted from the cruiser to a Rural-Metro Ambulance, he broke free and kicked a police officer in the leg and continued to kick officers as they tried to get him into the ambulance.

Police used a Taser to subdue Ferguson and get him onto a cot in the ambulance. He was taken to St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Youngstown, but on the way there broke loose from the cot and began kicking at paramedics.

The ambulance had to pull over and a police officer who was following helped re-secure Ferguson on the cot.