Leetonia PD: Officer injured; attacked with steel rod

LEETONIA, Ohio (WKBN) – A 62-year-old Leetonia police officer is in the hospital, along with his alleged attacker, following an altercation early Monday morning.

Just an hour into his overnight shift, Officer John Hancock is flat on his back in pain with his his alleged attacker lying nearby in handcuffs after Police Chief Allen Haueter said Hancock was attacked.

Haueter said Hancock spotted a man identified as Randy May, of Leetonia, walking along Pearl Street carrying a Walmart bag.

“Stopped and got out of the truck and asked him what he was doing and he said from there he started swinging that rod at him,” Haueter said.

On body camera video, Hancock is heard saying that he was hit in the head several times.

“He said he knew he didn’t dare lose consciousness, so he said I had to keep fighting him no matter how much pain I was in until — get him handcuffed,” Haueter said.

Hancock has been with the department for three or four years on and off. Before that, he spent 30 years with the Lisbon Police Department.

Court records show May had been indicted in August for assaulting a sheriff’s deputy last spring and just last week was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. The county Prosecutor says May’s bond from that case will now be revoked.

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