By Janelle Patterson

The Marietta Times

jpatterson@mariettatimes.com

The man accused of slicing open a Marietta police officer’s hand earlier this month was one of the 12 people indicted by a Washington County Grand Jury this month.

Justin R. Oliver, 32, of 111 Cullen Road, Marietta, was indicted on two counts of felonious assault and one count of aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies.

Oliver is accused of pulling a switch-blade pocket knife on Officer T.J. Glover on June 4 when Glover was investigating a separate incident near the intersection of Third and Montgomery streets.

“He was making strange and erratic requests like asking to get into the back of the patrol car,” explained Washington County Prosecutor Kevin Rings on Tuesday. “Glover had to pull Oliver out of the road twice and the second time he pulled him to safety, Oliver swung a 3-inch blade at the officer and struck the palm of his hand.”

Rings said Glover required surgery to treat his wound and currently the concern is mobility and possible nerve damage in his right hand.

Oliver remains in the Washington County Jail.

Other indictments:

– Jesse P. Holmes, 28, of 5049 Federal Road, Coolville, was indicted for one count of domestic violence, a fifth-degree felony.

Holmes allegedly assaulted his wife in January at their home in Decatur Township while she was pregnant with his child.

– Derek J. Waterman, 23, of 50 Warner Second St., Lower Salem, was indicted for trafficking in heroin, a fourth-degree felony, and aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a third-degree felony.

Waterman was tracked by the drug task force in January and arrested Jan. 5 of this year for selling heroin and meth in Marietta within the vicinity of Phillips Elementary.

– Christopher Turpin, 24, of 731 Glendale Road, Marietta, was indicted for one third-degree felony county of corrupting another with drugs.

“In February 2017 some boys were caught smoking marijuana in a Marietta High School bathroom,” explained Rings. “It was discovered that Turpin supplied the drugs and since he’s more than two years older than the juveniles and supplied the drugs within the facility of a school, he got this specific charge of corrupting, which we don’t use often.”

– David W. Wriston, 32, of 683 Wynncrest Drive, Marietta, was indicted for assault of a peace officer, a fourth-degree felony, resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor, criminal damaging and endangering, a second-degree misdemeanor, and possession of drug abuse instruments, a second-degree misdemeanor.

Sheriff’s deputies attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Wriston on June 10 when he refused to comply with orders of deputies and engaged in a physical altercation that caused one officer to develop a black eye.

“At one point as they were getting him in the patrol car he kicked a deputy, leaving a tread mark on him,” explained Rings.

– Co-defendants Ellie J. Barnhart, 29, and Brent E. Reynolds, 32, both of 1220 Watertown Road, Waterford, were both charged with one county of endangering children, a third-degree felony, and trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

Barnhart and Reynolds took their infant child, born in March, in to the hospital after concerns about her nutrient intake. Doctors found in April that the child was malnourished and had lost almost 20 percent body mass since birth and was taken to Columbus for treatment. The child was removed from the parents’ custody on May 8.

Barnhart and Reynolds were also found by investigators to be allegedly actively engaged in use and the sale of marijuana through review of their cell phones.

– Co-defendants Paul D. Pittner, 35, and his father Andrew G. Pittner, 76, both of 1214 Farson Ave., Belpre, were indicted for their parts in allegedly destroying evidence against Paul.

While Paul was an inmate in the Washington County Jail earlier this month on a parole violation he allegedly placed a call to his father requesting that Andrew destroy his computer.

“He suggested his dad put a drill through it,” said Rings. “When officers arrived at the Pittner residence they found a mouse, a keyboard and monitor but no CPU, and they did find a drill. Apparently (Andrew) Pittner indicated the computer would be found in a landfill.”

Paul Pittner was indicted for complicity to commit tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony and Andrew Pittner was indicted with one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

– Co-defendants Joey D. Brooks, 28, of 7 West 29 Drive, Nelsonville, Travis E. Sparks, 32, of 648 Phillips St., Marietta, and Wesley D. Lincoln, 32, of 126 Elm St., Belpre, were each indicted with a second-degree felony count of felonious assault for allegedly attacking another inmate while in the custody of the Washington County Jail on April 29.

“The incident was captured on video and it shows the inmates gave Mr. (Joseph Schaad, 36, of Vallejo, Calif.) a beating, dragging him from the top bunk and breaking several bones,” said Rings.

All three defendants are currently in Ohio prisons serving sentences for other crimes.

At a glance

Possible prison terms, maximum fines:

– First-degree felony: Three to 11 years; $20,000.

– Second-degree felony: Two to eight years; $15,000.

– Third-degree felony: One to three years; $10,000.

– Fourth-degree felony: Six to 18 months; $5,000.

– Fifth-degree felony: Six months to one year; $2,500.

Source: Washington County Prosecutor’s Office.