Toledoan sent to prison for hitting officer

10/28/2009

A Toledo man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by striking her in the face was sentenced in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to a total of four years and 11 months in prison.

Robert Simpson, 38, of 626 Bronson Ave., pleaded guilty Oct. 13 to one count of felonious assault and one count of vandalism.

Judge Gene Zmuda on Monday sentenced him to consecutive terms of 11 months in prison for the vandalism and four years in prison for the assault.

The vandalism charge was a result of a Feb. 14 incident in which Simpson slammed into the mirror on a Toledo police patrol car, breaking it off. The incident occurred at Bancroft and Vermont streets.

The assault occurred 12 days later, when Officer Pam Kujawa responded to a call of a disorderly person at the City Grille, 421 North Huron St. Simpson admitted he struck Officer Kujawa four times in the face, causing her to lose consciousness.