Inmate assaults deputies after becoming irate with judge

A Sallisaw man originally charged with domestic abuse assault and battery and resisting an officer is now facing an additional eight felony counts of battery, assault and battery on a police officer after reportedly hitting and biting several deputies following a court appearance.

Joseph W. Crowley, 26, pled not guilty to his charges and is now set to appear for a 9 a.m. Feb. 19 felony disposition docket with Associate District Judge Kyle Waters, according to court documents.

Sallisaw Police officer James Wilson reported on Jan. 28 that he met with a reporting party at the police department in regards to an alleged domestic that occurred between the reporting party and Crowley.

When Wilson and other officers went to a local apartment complex to arrest Crowley for the domestic, he reportedly tried to jump the balcony railing outside the apartment. As authorities tried to gain control of Crowley, he continued to resist by kicking and hitting the officers, and was told a pepper ball blast would be deployed if he continued, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.

A nylon leg restraint was placed on Crowley to keep him from kicking, and then he reportedly apologized, stating that he was done fighting with officers. He was then transported to a local hospital to be medically cleared for incarceration before being transported to the Sequoyah County Detention Center.

The following day, District Attorney Investigator John Owens said he was asked to come to Sequoyah County Courtroom 3 to investigate a fight that had reportedly occurred just after 9 a.m. According to Owens’ report, he and other agents were asked to assist after Crowley became irate with Judge Waters during court and began cursing at him.

When two female jailers, Audrey Wilson and Taryn Gallagher, attempted to escort Crowley out of the courtroom back to the jail, he reportedly began fighting them as they tried taking him to the ground. Crowley then fell on Gallagher’s head and Crowley bit Wilson on her right forearm.

When another jailer came to assist in putting him back in the jail, Crowley then began assaulting additional jail staff by running into them, and then head butted Wilson as authorities were trying to place him in a restraint chair. Crowley continued to resist authorities, kicking another jailer, Cody Smithson, in the jaw, according to the report, and also bit jailer Tony Hogan on the back. Wilson and Hogan were both sent to have their injuries checked out since the bites broke their skin.

Undersheriff Charles House provided video footage of the incident to Owens and after reviewing it, Crowley was then charged with four felony counts of battery, assault and battery on a police officer.

Crowley was charged with an additional four felony counts of battery, assault and battery on a police officer for allegedly striking Wilson and three other officers while they were trying to take him into custody on Jan. 28 for the alleged domestic assault.

District Attorney Jack Thorp said each charge is punishable by a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.