Toledo assault suspect surrenders at jail

6/14/2007

A man accused of hitting a Toledo police detective in the head, possibly with a bottle, when the officer tried to seize a loaded pistol hidden under a blanket turned himself in at the Lucas County jail yesterday.

William Eric Baker, 18, of 443 South Ave. was booked about 5:40 a.m. He is scheduled to be arraigned today in Toledo Municipal Court on a charge of felonious assault on a police officer.

He is accused of hitting burglary Detective Brian Lewandowski, 44, a nearly 15-year veteran. The officer, who was treated in Toledo Hospital, was monitoring an area for burglary activity Friday when he saw a suspicious person enter the South address. He asked to talk with the person.

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. He grabbed the gun, ran after Mr. Baker, collapsed in the front yard, and called for help.

In an unrelated assault on an officer, police continue to look for Allen Wheatley, 23, of 124 Roff St., who was accused of knocking Sgt. Richard Murphy unconscious when the officer was trying to arrest him Saturday.