Toledo police detective hit on head

6/9/2007

An 18-year-old South Toledo man was charged yesterday with hitting a police detective in the head, possibly with a bottle, when the detective moved to seize a loaded pistol that the suspect had hidden under a blanket.

William Eric Baker, 18, of 443 South Ave. was charged with felonious assault on a police officer. He remained at large last night. He is described as black, 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighing 130 pounds.

Burglary Detective Brian Lewandowski, 44, a nearly 15-year veteran, was treated at Toledo Hospital and released.

The detective was monitoring an area for burglary activity when he saw a suspicious person enter the South address about noon yesterday. He went to the front door and told another occupant that he wanted to talk with the person who just came in. Detective Lewandowski saw the person, who police said was Mr. Baker, and the suspect saw the officer.

Police said Mr. Baker ran upstairs into a bedroom. The detective followed and saw him put a loaded 22-caliber pistol under a blanket. When the officer tried to retrieve the gun, he was struck in the head and Mr. Baker fled.

The officer grabbed the gun, ran after Mr. Baker, collapsed in the front yard, and called for help. Police said they recovered a second gun, drugs, and paraphernalia at the house.