Officials say inmate hit deputy, had a weapon

Murderer allegedly had sharpened a toothbrush

1/21/2014
BY TAYLOR DUNGJEN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • n4penque

    Penque

  • Penque
    Penque

    A toothbrush sharpened into a shank was found in the jail cell of a convicted murderer after he allegedly punched a Lucas County deputy sheriff in the face, officials said.

    Richard Penque was charged in Toledo Municipal Court with assault after allegedly punching Deputy Pat Mangold earlier this month, Sgt. Joseph Gorney said.

    Even if Penque, 25, could post the $100,000 bond that was set for him in Toledo Municipal Court, he wouldn't be going anywhere.

    Penque is serving a life sentence for aggravated murder, attempted aggravated arson, and tampering with evidence after killing his neighbor, Marilyn Habian, and trying to set her home in a Cleveland suburb on fire in 2008.

    In April, Penque, who was at the time an inmate at the Toledo Correctional Institution, allegedly assaulted a guard, Sergeant Gorney said. After the alleged assault, Penque was transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. In May, he was charged in Lucas County Common Pleas Court with assault.

    To await trial in Lucas County, Penque was transferred to the county jail, as is standard procedure, Sergeant Gorney said.

    Recently, talk at the jail surfaced that Penque had a shank. On Jan. 11, Deputy Mangold investigated and was “sucker punched,” Sergeant Gorney said.

    Deputy Mangold was not seriously injured, but did suffer some swelling and bruising, the sergeant said.

    After Deputy Mangold was punched, deputies found the sharpened toothbrush in Penque's cell.

    The sergeant said additional charges could be filed against Penque for having the weapon and also for allegedly biting a second deputy during the fight with Deputy Mangold.

    Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.