A Crothersville man armed with a gun held police from four departments at bay for 7 1/2 hours in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 19, before surrendering.
According to Crothersville Asst. Chief of Police Jonathon Tabor, he and CPD officer Jacob Sharp along with Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputies Jordan Hawn and Billy Dishman attempted to serve a Jackson Circuit Court warrant on Jeremy Allen Cockerham, 45, of 404 S. Kovener Street around 11:45 p.m. Monday night, Oct. 18.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Tabor said he knocked on the front door and a female, Ronnie Cockerham, opened the door. She told Tabor that she had not seen Jeremy Cockerham “in a couple of months.”
Tabor told the woman that the officers had a warrant and wanted to search the house. He then asked Deputies Hawn and Dishman to join him on the porch.
According to the court document, the Cockerham woman said “I don’t want you in my house with guns” and attempted to shut the door.
Tabor blocked the door with his foot and asked again if Jeremy Cockerham was inside. The woman replied “No, he’s not here, but you’re making me nervous,” the court document read.
Tabor reported he then heard a loud male voice from inside yell “back the f— up outta here.” Tabor said at that point he kicked open the door and Deputy Hawn pulled the woman from the doorway onto the porch.
With the weapons drawn, officers attempted to look through the doorway when two shots were fired from inside the residence, the probable cause read.
The officers were able to move the Cockerham woman and themselves to safety and set up a perimeter then called for the Jackson County multi agency SWAT team for assistance.
“Cockerham barricaded himself in the residence and after about a seven and a half hours standoff, SWAT negotiators were able to talk Cockerham out of the home. He surrendered peacefully without incident,” Tabor said.
“No officers were injured during the standoff,” Tabor reported but two bullet holes were found through the front door where the officers had been standing, the court document read.
Cockerham was booked into the Jackson County Jail shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, on the circuit court warrant charging him with criminal mischief and two counts of intimidation with a deadly weapon.
He now faces new charges, filed in Jackson Circuit Court by Jackson County Prosecutor Jeffrey A. Chalfant, of attempted murder, aggravated battery, possession of firearm by felon, three counts of intimidation with a deadly weapon, violation of protective order, possession of firearm by domestic batterer.
In addition to Crothersville and Jackson County police, officers from Brownstown and Seymour Police Departments assisted at the scene.