A Michigan man is facing charges after Bellefontaine police say he broke into a city water department building and was later found naked and covered in mud with a young child nearby.
According to a police report, officers were dispatched around 11:40 AM on Sunday to the water department facility on West Columbus Avenue after an alert was received about a possible break-in.
When workers arrived, they found the door to one of the well buildings had reportedly been kicked in.
Police say wires inside had been unplugged, and the handle to the main electrical disconnect had been broken off.
While investigating the area, officers found a pair of shorts and underwear lying in the grass near the building.
Inside the shorts was a wallet containing a Michigan driver’s license belonging to Vincent Winter, 34, of Marquette, Michigan.
As officers continued checking the property, they found Winter and a 5-year-old child naked and covered in mud near the southwest corner of the property.
Police say Winter was holding a metal pole and ignored repeated commands to drop it.
Officers eventually deployed a taser after Winter allegedly threatened officers and continued advancing toward them.
According to the report, the first taser deployment briefly stopped Winter, but officers say he ripped the wires off and charged at them again before a second deployment was used.
Winter then ran into nearby woods before being taken into custody a short time later by another officer assisting with a perimeter search.
The child was safely recovered and provided water before being transported to the hospital for evaluation.
Logan County Children’s Services was contacted regarding the incident.
Winter was also transported to the hospital due to abnormal vital signs.
Police say once medically cleared, Winter was lodged in the Logan County Jail on an aggravated trespass charge shortly before 5:00 PM.
