Chief Gibson’s attacker not insane at time of attack

by Peter Jakey-Managing Editor

The case against Keith Smith, the 22-year-old Petoskey man who is accused of choked Onaway police chief Jim Gibson in downtown Onaway, continues to move through the court system.

Smith was evaluated by psychologists from the Forensic Center of Grayling and was determined to not be insane at the time of the incident.

Oct. 6, 2012 at 1:05 a.m., Gibson was dispatched to a fight in progress at the Northland Bar; however, while he was driving by Dairy Queen in downtown Onaway, a subject jumped in front of his squad car.

When Gibson got out of his vehicle the subject attacked him and started choking him, Gibson told the Outlook.

According to Gibson, Smith damaged the Onaway police cruiser and went after him a second time and threatened to kill him.

Smith had to be tased by Gibson in order to get the attacker under control. He also damaged the interior of a sheriff’s department vehicle while in transit to the county jail.

Gibson also said S

mith was a threat to the public and had gone after other people in the area.

Smith is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, less than murder; resisting and opposing a police officer; and two counts of malicious destruction of police property.

During a March 25 Circuit Court hearing, Smith’s attorney Dan Hartman indicated he would be filing a motion requesting that his client undergo another evaluation by another psychologist.

The motion is to be answered later this month in Circuit Court. Smith remains lodged in the county jail in Rogers City.