Author: The Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
By Kaylee Remington Advance Ohio Media, Cleveland
ELYRIA, Ohio — An Elyria man accused of biting part of a State Highway Patrol trooper’s ear off has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Cornelius Carey Jr. filed documents Tuesday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court through his attorney Jack Bradley.
“He’s always had mental issues and he’s on disability for mental issues,” Bradley said. “It is always prudent to get the person examined so that the court knows how to proceed on the case.”
Carey is charged with felonious assault, three counts of kidnapping, obstructing official business and resisting arrest in the incident that happened the morning of Jan. 11 on Diagonal Road just north of Biggs Road, court records say.
Court records do not say when Carey will appear again in court. He is being held in Lorain County Jail on a $1 million bond.
A woman found Carey in the middle of the road. She called the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office and said he appeared drunk and she was afraid he would get hit by a car.
State Trooper Lance Deshuk found Carey in the street. Carey got confrontational and hit Deshuk in the face.
Another woman called the Sheriff’s Office and said she saw Carey and Deshuk wrestling in the middle of the road.
Backup arrived several minutes later to help the trooper.
A third caller said Carey put Deshuk in a choke hold, but Deshuk later got him under control and in handcuffs, according to the 911 call.
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