Police say North Liberty man threatened therapist with gun, tried to disarm an officer
Lang
5/26/19
North Liberty Police say a man threatened to bring a gun to his next session with a therapist, then tried to take an officer’s gun during a struggle while they were trying to question him.
38-year-old Kevin Sanford of Eight Point Lane was booked into the Johnson County Jail at 2:15 Friday afternoon. Police say they were called to Meadowlark Psychiatric Services on West Cherry Street just after 2pm Monday after Sanford allegedly overdosed on medications prior to an appointment. Arriving officers found Sanford talking to a therapist in the rear parking lot.
Sanford saw officers and began walking away. The therapist said Sanford had taken enough pills to kill himself and was not acting correctly. Officers tried to stop Sanford by grabbing his arm, but he allegedly responded by reaching for the officer’s gun in his holster. A struggle ensued, and after multiple attempts to grab the gun Sanford was tasered. Sanford allegedly then told officers to shoot him.
Two officers received minor injuries during the struggle.
Sanford is charged with Disarming a Police Officer and two counts of Interference with Official Acts Causing Injury. If convicted, he faces a maximum of seven years in prison.