Posted September 06, 2023 11:28am
(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man who used an axe and a machete to threaten family members and police officers pled no contest to aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer last week in Leavenworth County District Court.
According to a release from the office of Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 34-year-old Justin Toms-Gardner was arrested on January 22 after officers were forced to use a beanbag round fired from a shotgun to subdue him.
According to court documents cited in the release, Leavenworth police officers responded to a disturbance call involving Toms-Gardner and two family members at a home located southeast of downtown Leavenworth that January afternoon. Upon arrival, officers were met by Toms-Gardner, who had an axe and approached them, eventually raising the axe, acting like he would throw it at officers. Feeling threatened, an officer fired a beanbag round, striking Toms-Gardner.
Following Toms-Gardner's no-contest plea last week, he was found guilty, with his sentencing scheduled for the afternoon of October 6.