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Hearing set in officer’s domestic-violence case
By Jeanne Starmack
STRUTHERS
The case of a city police officer charged with domestic violence heads back to court next week.
There will be a status hearing at 1 p.m. Oct. 6 at Struthers Municipal Court, said a spokeswoman from the city’s law office.
Richard Craig, 33, was charged in May with domestic violence after a complaint from his wife.
He pleaded innocent May 13 and was put on paid leave.
He returned to work Aug. 8, said Police Chief Tim Roddy.
Roddy said Craig was allowed to return after being cleared in a psychological evaluation at Allied Behavioral Health Services. The city has a contract with the private counseling agency, Roddy said. Craig was required to attend the counseling.
Craig was accused in May of screaming at his wife and threatening members of her family. His wife told police he’d been drinking since 1 p.m. May 12, and arguments about family matters escalated at times during the day.
After 9 p.m., the police report said, Craig screamed at his wife and kicked furniture. He threatened to kill members of her family with his AK-47, indicating he would do it in front of her so she would have to watch.
The police report said Craig’s wife left their home after 9 p.m. and went to a relative’s, where Craig called her on her cell phone and threatened to shoot the relative.
Craig’s wife and her father went to the police station at 4:07 a.m. May 13, when she told police she wanted help getting her three children out of their house, the report said.
She told police Craig kept his AK-47 with four loaded clips and other guns in his bedroom.
Four officers and the department’s police dog went to help her get the children. Craig was asleep and did not wake up while they were there, the report said.
Roddy said last week that there were no restrictions for Craig in coming back to work.
“He just has to follow the recommendations of the doctor,” Roddy said. He said he couldn’t discuss what the recommendations are because of medical privacy laws.
Craig’s case will be heard by visiting Judge Diane Vettori. Struthers’ Judge James Lanzo recused himself.