Police responded to a fraternity house on Tallawanda Road at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 1 on a report of a male falling 10 to 15 feet over a brick wall.
They found a Miami student later identified as Benjamin Paul Ferris sitting on the ground looking at his phone. His knees were bloody and he was bleeding from a head wound. An officer tried several times to ask for his identification and was told to “Shut up” with a profanity.
CRIME NEWS: Former sheriff deputy denies attempted voyeurism charge
The officer took the phone to make him focus on the questions he was asked but was told, “No, no, if you take my phone, I’m about to kill you,” and then lunged at the officer. He grabbed the upper right arm and tried to take the officer to the ground. Another officer arrived and they were able to handcuff Ferris at which time he made comments like, “You got me in handcuffs, I want a better future for myself. Please help me” and “Dude I’m in cuffs, I love you. If I could hug you right now, I will hug you.”
He was identified through his Michigan driver’s license and found to be 18. An odor of alcoholic beverages was found on his breath.
Medics arrived and determined Ferris needed to go to the hospital but he was uncooperative and threatened hospital staff and other officers, telling another officer, “I should just … kill you.” After he was cleared from the hospital, he was taken to the police department, where he threatened to kill officers several times as well as using racial and profane insults against them.
He was charged with assault, offenses involving underage persons and obstructing official business and taken to the Butler County Jail where he continued his threatening behavior toward deputies.
BUTLER COUNTY NEWS: 1,350 Butler County employees affected by HIPAA breach