VALPARAISO | Porter County Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford ordered Eric Moser held without bond until a special judge is appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court.
Moser, a former Hobart police officer and former Porter County Animal Control officer, is charged with felony counts of intimidation and criminal recklessness and a misdemeanor charge of resisting law enforcement following a standoff Wednesday at his home in unincorporated Center Township.
Moser's initial hearing was held via video conference Friday, and the required not guilty plea was entered by Bradford on Moser's behalf. A trial date was tentatively set for Sept. 9, but Bradford said he has asked the Supreme Court to expedite the appointment of a special judge because Moser's wife is the Porter County Court commissioner.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Trista Hudson said the prosecutor's office will ask for a special prosecutor to be appointed after the judge is named so the two can be from the same area.
Porter County police were called to Moser's home about 8:05 p.m. for a welfare check on a suicidal subject with a weapon. As officers approached the home, Moser, 41, reportedly fired a shotgun out the back door. The county's Emergency Response Team and negotiators were called to the scene, at which time Moser reportedly threatened the life of Sgt. Jeremy Chavez.
According to the court documents, Moser told Chavez, "Listen to me, Jeremy Chavez, you're a dead man. I am going to (expletive) kill you. You better hope that Judge (William) Alexa or whoever the judge is issues me a no-bond order because, when I get out, I am going to (expletive) kill you."
The documents say Moser stated he knew the threat was a felony and "that I better lock him up because he was going to kill me."
After Moser finally agreed to leave the house, he continued to be uncooperative and was subdued after being shot four times by police using foam-tipped projectiles resembling badminton birds. He was taken to Porter County Jail after treatment at Porter Regional Hospital for minor injuries.
While a Hobart officer, he was indicted in 2003 on misdemeanor battery charges related to a high-speed chase. The case was dismissed two years later. He reportedly had undergone counseling when he was hired as animal control officer in 2008.
His wife, Lisa Moser, was hired at the start of the year to fill the county's newly created court commissioner position. Bradford said that meant none of the Porter County judges could hear the case.
Please Wait…