Police: Taser ineffective on sword-wielding man with ‘unnatural human strength’
Springfield police say Lonnie Goldsberry charged officers with a large sword, resisted arrest with “unnatural human strength” and resisted multiple uses of a Taser.
Now, the 47-year-old man has been charged with armed criminal action and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Court documents say police responded to 451 W. Lombard St. on Sept. 11 for a report of a domestic assault. When they arrived, a woman told them Goldsberry — her boyfriend — was “acting crazy” and had allegedly hit her in the face and legs.
As officers spoke with the woman, Goldsberry peeked out of the front door of the house. When asked to come outside, he said “(expletive) you, I ain’t coming out,” before slamming the door, according to documents.
The woman told officers that Goldsberry had been acting strangely all day but that there were no weapons in the house. Goldsberry then stuck his head outside again to say “(expletive) you,” directly to officers, according to documents.
The woman, who told officers she owned the house, said she wanted them to get Goldsberry out and unlocked the door for them. She told them he would be in the back room, playing “Guitar Hero.”
Three officers entered the house, where music was playing so loudly they could barely hear each other speak, according to documents.
As the woman had predicted, officers found Goldsberry in the back room of the house, playing “Guitar Hero,” and announced their presence to him.
Goldsberry responded by turning to them, screaming “(expletive) you,” and pulling a “large Celtic style sword” out of the hardwood floor it had been stuck in before raising it above his head and charging officers, according to documents.
Officers say they used a Taser on Goldsberry, who collapsed to the floor and dropped the sword, but recovered and reached for the sword again. A second use of a Taser had no effect, according to documents.
Another officer used his Taser on Goldsberry, but he knocked it out of the officer’s hands, according to documents. Two officers grabbed his arms in an attempt to handcuff Goldsberry, who allegedly responded by kicking the third officer in the chest with both feet.
Officers say they were finally able to handcuff Goldsberry after punching him in the face several times and holding him to the floor. All three officers suffered minor injuries.
Court documents say officers described Goldsberry as “abnormally strong,” “in a state of rage” and “heavily under the effects of a controlled substance.” Drug paraphernalia was allegedly later found by officers after Goldsberry was handcuffed.
Court documents say Goldsberry was sedated and transported to Mercy Hospital, where he was handcuffed to a bed. Officers say he was medically cleared, and they began to remove his handcuffs so he could be transported.
When the first handcuff was removed, officers say Goldsberry began resisting, managing to stand up from the bed.
At that point he allegedly tried to grab an officer’s Taser. Officers say they struck him in the neck in an attempt to deliver a “brachial stun” and used a Taser four separate times, none of which were effective.
Goldsberry was eventually detained and transported to Greene County Jail. His bond was set at $150,000.
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