Man Accused of Assaulting Austin Firefighter
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A 55-year-old man faces a felony after allegedly punching an Austin firefighter in the face during a fire alarm call at an apartment building.
The attack happened on the afternoon of Friday, March 6 at the Twin Towers apartment complex in Austin.
Obudwok Ochot Akuch was charged with fourth-degree assault on a municipal firefighter, a felony, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
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The complaint says Austin Police Department officers were called around 3:30 p.m. to the building at 200 First Avenue N.E. on a report of an assault. Just before being dispatched, an officer heard Austin Fire personnel request law enforcement assistance at the building while they were responding to a fire alarm. Fire personnel reported that one of their crew members had been assaulted.
Officers arrived and found an Austin firefighter in the lobby holding Akuch on the ground. The firefighter told police he'd been at the fire alarm panel in the entryway when Akuch walked in through the front doors and stared at him. Akuch then wound up and punched him in the face with his right fist, according to the complaint. The firefighter said he was able to turn his head when the punch came and was struck in the ear.
The firefighter grabbed Akuch, pushed him into a wall and took him to the ground. He told officers he didn't hit Akuch. While on the ground, Akuch told the firefighter "I'm out of my mind," court records show. Officers observed the firefighter had a cut on his left ear that was bleeding and photographed the injury.
When an officer asked Akuch what happened, he didn't respond. He was arrested and taken to the Mower County Jail.
A building employee provided security footage of the incident to police. The footage showed the firefighter at the alarm panel in the main entry when Akuch entered through the front doors and punched him in the face. The two then struggled on the ground until officers arrived.
Akuch’s first court appearance is set for March 19 in Mower County District Court. He faces up to three years in prison and a $6,000 fine on the felony assault charge.
Obudwok Ochot Akuch was charged with fourth-degree assault on a municipal firefighter, a felony, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.