Case of man shot by Amazon delivery driver he allegedly attacked goes to grand jury

Bond set at $25,000 after more charges added.

MIDDLETOWN — A Butler County grand jury will now consider the case of a man accused of pulling a knife on an Amazon driver and fighting with officers during an arrest attempt.

Christopher Roberts, 35, of Carlisle, who was shot by the delivery person when he allegedly pulled a knife and moved toward him, was in Middletown Municipal Court on Friday for a hearing on charges of felonious assault, assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. Visiting Judge Robert Messham found sufficient evidence to bind the case over to a Butler County grand jury.

Roberts is now being held on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

The incident happened shortly before 5 a.m. Aug. 7 in the 4500 block of Central Avenue. The delivery driver, Gino Grove, said a man “came out of nowhere with a knife and moved toward him,” said Sgt. Earl Nelson. That is when the delivery driver shot the man in the leg.

“The Amazon guy was delivering packages, a man came out of nowhere waiving a knife — we think strung out ... the Amazon driver fired and hit him in the leg,” the sergeant said.

Nelson said the man who was shot, identified as Roberts, fled the area and was eventually found by officers then transported Atrium Medical Center for treatment.

In the 911 call, Grove said Roberts tried to attack him with a knife, and “I just discharged my firearm.”

“He is running down the street,” Grove said. “He ran up to me saying ‘knife fight, knife fight’.”

The driver says he is back in his vehicle, a GMC Terrain, and Roberts has returned. Grove yells, ”Get back, get back.”

Grove said in the 911 call he believes he missed the suspect when he shot.

At about 5 p.m. Sunday, officers received a call for the area of Rosedale Road and Magnolia Drive involving Roberts. He walked out of the hospital without permission and was acting strangely, according to the police report.

Witnesses said the man was trying to get in the sewers.

When officers arrived, Roberts was gone, but officers continued to search the area, finding a walkway through the tree line toward a creek bank.

Roberts was found in the creek “flailing in the water underneath a log,” according to the report.

Initially, Roberts complied with orders from officers but said “nope, not doing that” when the officer attempted to handcuff him, according to the report.

There was a tussle and an officer deployed a Taser, hitting Roberts several times before he complied with orders, according to police. He was transported to the hospital where he underwent surgery for the gunshot wound.

According to court documents, Grove pulled his gun from his pocket and to Roberts to stop before firing the weapon.

When Roberts continued to advance after several warnings, Grove fired the gun, striking Roberts in the right leg, according to court records. The knife was found in a storm sewer.

About the Author