Christopher M. Head, 33, of Bloomington.
(Courtesy of Monroe County Sheriff's Office)
Officials say a Bloomington man accused of attacking and injuring a sergeant with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office over the weekend had assaulted several other people before he was arrested.
Bloomington police had been searching for Christopher M. Head, 33, for about an hour Saturday, during which time he attacked people at several different locations, according to police spokesman Capt. Ryan Pedigo.
Head was arrested after he struck Sgt. Avery Brahaum in the head with a coffee flask, leaving a large wound.
Many people were in the downtown area that day because of several events scheduled that day, including Arts Fair on the Square and Bloomington Community Farmers' Market.
The sheriff’s office said Head has a history of mental health and substance abuse disorders and was likely suffering an episode during the attacks.
Head also has an extensive criminal history. Online court records list him as a defendant in more than two dozen other cases, including charges of drug possession, trespassing, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement and more.
Attack at furniture store
Pedigo said police were notified of calls involving Head starting at 10:37 a.m. in the 500 block of South Walnut Street. It was there, a witness told police, Head was yelling and attempting to steal furniture from a store when an employee asked him to leave.
Head then got into an altercation with the employee and struck them in the face, leaving a cut on their lip and nose, police say.
Woman with infant attacked
Less than an hour later, witnesses reported seeing Head attack several people — including a woman with an infant — in the 400 block of South Washington Street, police say.
A witness told police they saw Head talking to himself before he struck a woman with an infant in a carrier, causing the pair to fall over. Pedigo said the infant was not injured.
Head then ran west and struck a man. Pedigo said officers were unable to locate the male victim at the scene.
Alleyway attack
Then, about 11:38 a.m., a man working security said Head attacked him in an alleyway in the 200 block of North College Avenue between the Irish Lion and Alley Bar, according to police.
The man told police Head was walking toward him while yelling, at which point he tried to get out of Head’s way. Head then smacked him in the face and took off.
Theft from vehicle, item thrown at bystander
Witnesses also reported seeing Head on the B-Line Trail between Seventh Street and Kirkwood Avenue around the same time he attacked Brahaum.
It was there, witnesses said, Head stole a coffee flask from a convertible with its roof down.
Around the same time, a nearby woman heard yelling and saw a shirtless Head, who threw a plastic container of coffee at her.
Attack on Brahaum
Seventh and Kirkwood is the area where Brahaum was on patrol when Head attacked him.
Sheriff spokesman Deputy Jeff Brown said Brahaum recognized Head from previous interactions in the jail and greeted him, at which point Head hit him in the back of the head with a coffee flask.
“(Brahaum) said, ‘What’s up, Chris?’, as he has known him and built a relationship from working at the correctional center,” Brown said. “(He) then went about, turned his attention back to his business, and was struck in the back of the head.”
A wounded Brahaum then detained Head and kept him at the scene until additional law enforcement officers arrived and arrested him.
Brown said Head’s attack on Brahaum appeared to be unprovoked; Brahaum’s wound required seven staples to repair. He was treated and released at the hospital.
Brown said Monday that Brahuam was still “a little sore” but is expected to recover fully.
Head faces several charges, including five counts of battery resulting in bodily injury and one count each of battery by means of a deadly weapon, battery on a public safety official and criminal recklessness with a habitual offender status enhancement.
Head is being held on $2,000 surety bond and $500 cash bond. He is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
