Man who attacked IMPD officer with sock full of broken glass sentenced to prison

INDIANAPOLIS — A man will spend the next several months in prison after pleading guilty to attacking an Indianapolis police officer with a sock full of broken glass earlier this summer. The man claimed the officer was “taking too long” to file a report – causing the attack.

Jonathan Rhinehart, 37, pled guilty on Wednesday to one count of battery against a public safety official. His disorderly conduct charge was subsequently dismissed and Rhinehart was sentenced to 545 days (18 months) in prison with 245 days being suspended. He was ruled indigent to court costs.

The sentencing stems from an incident on June 3 where IMPD officers were called downtown to the 600 block of N. Illinois Street after a homeless man reported he was being harassed by the driver of a vehicle that kept passing by.

Officers arrived and found Rhinehart, who pointed out a nearby car being driven by a man he said tried to assault him. Officers started making a report and told Rhinehart he had to move his shopping cart full of belongings off private property.

“Rhinehart had a sock in his right which he then used to strike the Officer in the right side of his neck,” court docs read. “The officer felt an immediate burning and pain in the neck area.”

A nearby officer “immediately wrapped his arms around Rhinehart” and “forcibly took him to the ground,” a report reads. Officers then restrained Rhinehart, who yelled that he had hit the officer because he was “taking too long to complete the report.”

The officer who was hit grabbed the sock from Rhinehart and found that it was filled with broken glass from a bottle. Glass shards had to be removed from the officer’s neck by IEMS crews. Luckily, the officer was not seriously injured and did not need to go to the hospital.

“Law enforcement is an inherently dangerous career,” IMPD said in a statement Monday. “We are grateful for the dedication and bravery of our officers who serve every day to keep our community safe.”

Online court records indicate that Rhinehart is receiving two days of jail credit for every day spent in prison – meaning he will likely be released in 91 days. After release, his 245-day suspended sentence will begin.

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