Ryan Jay Hunt
HANCOCK COUNTY — The Hancock County Joint Tactical Team assisted in the arrest of a Greenfield man Thursday afternoon after officials feared there might be some issues taking the man in. However, in the end, the suspect surrendered without incident and is now in the county jail where he is facing several charges in a couple of different cases.
Ryan Jay Hunt, 39, 4200 block of East 900N, has been charged with three different Level 5 felony counts of intimidation where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon stemming from an incident Sept. 7.
Officials from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department (HCSD) noted Hunt has a history of drug abuse and, due to the fact he had a weapon, there was concern he might not handle the arrest well. It was noted by officials from the HCSD county officials have tried to get Hunt help through the county’s Mobile Response Team, but Hunt has refused help.
Officials from the county’s SWAT team gathered around noon Thursday and went to Hunt’s Greenfield address where they noted he did have a weapon, but surrendered. Hunt was scheduled to have an initial appearance in Hancock County Circuit Court Friday via zoom with Judge Scott Sirk.
As for the how the intimidation charges came about, according to a probable cause affidavit, officials from the HCSD were called to the 100 block of East 1000N, Pendleton where threats were made Sept. 7. The victim told officials he was at a home spending time with a few friends when Hunt showed up uninvited and started arguing with a man there over money.
Hunt, the report stated, started making threats towards the man, prompting the two other men there to intervene. One of the men said when they tried to intervene to protect the man, Hunt started threatening them as well placing his hand on his pistol holster saying, “I will shoot you.”
The man who was the original subject of Hunt’s argument told officials, the report stated, he wasn’t sure if Hunt was having some issues over the last couple of months. The man added he was unsure if the issues have been drug or mental health related.
The man told officials Hunt does not want help from anyone because he thinks those trying to help him are going to hurt him. Officials noted in the report that video surveillance from the scene shows Hunt throw a rock in what appeared to be the general direction of where the men appeared to walk off of a camera. The end of the last video, officials noted, sounds like Hunt yells something to the effect of “I’ll shoot you….”
Officials with the HCSD say they plan to recommend Hunt for the county’s Behavioral Health Court program, however that will be left up to the prosecutor’s office and program coordinators.
In addition to the intimidation case, Hunt also is facing Level 5 felony methamphetamine and misdemeanor marijuana charges from the day of his arrest Sept. 14. That case has been assigned to Hancock County Superior Court 1 where Judge D.J. Davis, who is the head of the Behavioral Health Court, will oversee.
