By SYDNEY KENT
Robby Lee Bullard, 38, Hartford City, was sentenced to five years in the Indiana Department of Correction with two years suspended.
In September of last year, Bullard was charged with battery with bodily injury to a public safety official, a Level 5 felony, three counts of resisting law enforcement, all Level 6 felonies, and resisting law enforcement and criminal trespassing, both Class A misdemeanors.
The charges were filed in connection to a 911 call. According to a probable cause affidavit, Bullard’s family member called the police when he refused to leave the property. The family member stated that he appeared to be on an intoxicant and potentially hallucinating as well, and even referenced someone who is no longer alive.
Officers reportedly directed Bullard to leave the residence on multiple occasions; he refused. His vehicle was also parked in a no-parking zone on Silver Street. He was eventually taken to the Wells County Jail without incident. However, when Bullard arrived, his behavior became irrational and aggressive.
After multiple altercations and attempts to resist officers, Bullard was tased. He then needed medical clearance. The police report noted that after Bullard returned to the jail, his behavior escalated. Bullard was again tased multiple times, yet continued to disobey commands. He eventually complied with the commands. When the handcuffs were fully removed, Bullard lay on the floor of the jail cell and “screamed unintelligibly,” the affidavit reads.
During the hearing, Bullard claimed that he was not on any drugs at the time of the incident. He also told the court that he was days away from the end of his probation for a charge involving methamphetamine use.
Bullard requested to serve the entirety of his sentence on house arrest. The reason for this, he said, was to continue the “close relationship” he had with his teenage daughter.
During the hearing, Judge Kenton Kiracofe seemed perplexed at this reason.
“Is this the same daughter that called the police?” Kiracofe questioned.
“Yes, it was — I didn’t know she was there,” Bullard confirmed. “I didn’t know she called the police.”
“I’ve dealt with your daughter in juvenile court quite a bit,” Kiracofe continued. “I don’t recall ever seeing you be here.”
Bullard said that he was not able to be there due to his divorce and work schedule. He also said he didn’t know when his daughter had court.
“You would have received a summons to be here,” Kiracofe said. “You’ve never thought about being involved in your daughter’s court cases? Do you go to probation meetings?”
Bullard said he believed he had taken her to one meeting before.
Prosecutor Colin Andrews took issue with Bullard’s claim that he was sober at the time of the incident.
“I don’t believe him,” Andrews sat pointedly. “I think drug use was going on. I think that is what happened here, and if he’s not going to be honest with the court I think he needs to serve some time. That’s the only way that what he did makes sense — is that he was high.”
“Mr. Bullard said it wasn’t drug-related,” responded Patrick Miller, Bullard’s public defender. “There’s nothing to indicate that it was. For whatever reason, he didn’t handle this well.”
“He’s not well situated to be in community supervision,” Andrews summarized. “His bizarre behavior and lack of an explanation for it leads the state to believe he is a danger to himself and to this community.”
Andrews also emphasized that if the crime had occurred as a result of drug use or significant mental health issues, the state would be well-positioned to address those issues. However, due to his insistence that he was of the right mind, Bullard was unable to receive any help.
“If I’m given this opportunity,” Bullard said during his final statement, “I won’t re-offend, and I will do whatever it takes. I’m very sorry for what happened.”
“All along this period of time, Mr. Bullard had the ability to prevent this from going any further,” Kiracofe said before he issued the ruling. “He was asked to leave. He was transported to jail, and he was fine. He became really, really difficult. He went from literally no criminal charges to, at best, criminal trespassing. And then to where we are now, which is that he committed battery to where the officers involved had to tase him. He controlled this situation, and at every stage, he increased the level of the problem. I don’t know what happened that day. His explanation doesn’t make sense.”
Kiracofe ultimately decided that home detention was not a viable option due to Bullard’s resistance to law enforcement. However, Kiracofe stated that should Bullard do well in prison, he may consider a transition program toward the end of his sentence.
Bullard was also ordered to pay court costs and filing fees.
sydney@news-banner.com
