A welfare check on a reported suicidal man at 5405 Southern Blvd. last week became confrontational and a Boardman Police Department officer was punched in the face and suffered a bloody nose.
      About 6:30 p.m. on Wed., July 15 Ptl. Mike Manis and Ptl. Ryan Jones were dispatched for a welfare check on a man named Austin Sturgeon, 39, of 166 Bonnie Brae Ave. NE, Warren, Oh.
      When police arrived at the home they spoke with a woman who said that Sturgeon was inside and “would be confrontational if the police showed-up,” Officer Jones said, adding the woman said that Sturgeon could have a knife.
      Sturgeon was found sitting on a couch and refused to tell officers what was happening and Officer Jones said the man was agitated and confrontational with police.
      Sturgeon left the residence and then took a seat in his pick-up truck that was in the driveway, Officer Jones said.
      When asked if he had a knife, Officer Jones said that Sturgeon “continued to be irate and confrontational,” telling officers he was suicidal and was going to kill himself.
      Officer Jones said that police were shown a text message that Sturgeon sent to someone that said ‘‘anyone who attempts to restrain me and take me anywhere will be met with me trying to kill them.”
      When police attempted to get Sturgeon to step out of the pick-up truck, Officer Jones said the man “began swinging his arms at officers.”
      During the encounter, Sturgeon struck Officer Manis in the face, breaking his sunglasses. Officer Manis sustained a bloody nose and an abrasion to his left eye.
      Police then advised Sturgeon he was under arrest on charges of assaulting a police officer, obstruction and resisting arrest.
      A balance displacement was used to take Sturgeon to the ground and Officer Jones said the man continued to resist and would not put his arms behind his back.
      After a brief struggle, Sturgeon was placed in handcuffs and when searched, police found a folding knife in a pants pocket and a black knife in a sheath in his waistband.
      EMS were called to the scene and as police tried to get Sturgeon to stand up, he became dead weight and fell down on concrete.
      Sturgeon sustained injuries to his face, knees and arms during the incident. He was taken to Mercy Health/Youngstown where he was advised he was not free to leave and was placed on a ‘police hold,’ and if he did leave, he would be charged with escape.