Man Arrested After Alleged Hammer Attack in Jordan Residence
By The Hub News Staff Reports
A Jordan man was arrested early Tuesday morning after allegedly breaking into a residence owned by St. John the Baptist Parish and threatening the occupant with a hammer, according to the Jordan Police Department and a criminal complaint filed by the Scott County Attorney's Office.
Officers were dispatched around 5:24 a.m. on April 8 to the 300 block of 4th Street East following a report that an adult male had forcibly entered the home. The residence is occupied by the parish priest, who told police he awoke to find the man standing in his doorway, holding a hammer.
The complaint alleges that the intruder was wearing one of the priest’s vestments when he raised the hammer with his right hand and ran toward the victim. A struggle ensued, during which the victim was able to push the suspect away. After the attacker fled the scene, the victim—who was not physically injured—called 911.
Responding officers reported that the victim identified the suspect as 30-year-old John Warren Hiegel, based on prior interactions. Hiegel was located outside a residence in Jordan. When officers arrived, he entered his vehicle and locked the doors, refusing to comply with commands. An officer broke a window to remove Hiegel from the vehicle.
Hiegel was booked into the Scott County Jail and has been charged with four criminal counts, including first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and fourth-degree intentional damage to property.