A jury trial began Tuesday for Harold D. Sanders, the now 34-year-old man accused of attempting to murder a police officer during an incident in September 2020.
Opening arguments were presented Tuesday afternoon, and the trial is expected to continue most of this week. Owensboro Times plans to provide coverage of the outcome of the trial.
Sanders was charged in September 2020 with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing an Owensboro Police Department officer in the face.
The incident occurred on September 20 in the 700 block of Walnut Street. According to reports, OPD responded to a disturbance call made by Sanders’ mother and uncle, who claimed Sanders was causing a scene by throwing items in the front yard of their home.
During Sanders’ arraignment in 2020, an officer representing OPD told the judge that Sanders was already in custody by the time he arrived at the scene that day.
Reportedly, two officers attempted to arrest Sanders, telling him he had a warrant out for his arrest. According to the 2020 testimony, when one of the responding officers attempted to grab Sanders’ other hand, the officer fell over and felt something hit his cheek.
The officer representing OPD said his injured colleague sustained a large gash on the left side of his face that ran from his cheekbone to his neck. Though it wasn’t a life-threatening injury, the gash required several stitches and the officer was in the hospital for a number of hours before being released.
According to the officer, the attempted murder charge was valid based on where Sanders had stabbed the responding officer, as well as Sanders having allegedly said in the past that if the injured officer ever arrested him again, he’d fight him.
Sanders was additionally charged with second-degree disorderly conduct because he wasn’t supposed to be at the house where the arrest took place. He was also charged with resisting arrest and his outstanding warrant.
