BLANCHESTER — A Blanchester man remains in the Clinton County Jail after an incident last Thursday

In the late morning hours of Oct. 7, police were summoned to 815 E. Cherry St. after dispatchers received three 911 calls from that address. In each of the calls, the person calling hung up before saying anything to the dispatcher, according to a news release from Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt.

He said that while officers were responding to that address, the staff at the nearby The Laurels of Blanchester nursing home at 839 E. Cherry St. called police and reported a man was banging on the doors and windows and trying to enter their building, claiming he was being chased and he needed help. Staff members told Ptl. Kristen Jeffers that when a police car came into sight, the man ran away.

“The doors at The Laurels are currently kept locked due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, the man’s actions caused great alarm to the nursing home residents,” said Reinbolt.

In the meantime, Ptl. Cody Lee patrolled the East Cherry Street area and saw a man in the parking lot at The Laurels. The man was identified as Cory Hillard, age 28, formerly of 815 E. Cherry St. — the same residence that the landlord asked Hillard to vacate after a shooting suspect was found holed up in his apartment on Sept. 12, according to Reinbolt.

“Hillard began to run from Ptl. Lee, who ordered him to stop. Hillard stopped, then ran, then stopped again. He told Ptl. Lee that ‘Mexicans’ were chasing him and he stood in a fighting stance, telling Lee, ‘Don’t kill me,’” stated Reinbolt. “Hillard then ran away, with Ptl. Lee giving chase. He then stopped in the back yard of The Laurels and telephoned his mother on his cell phone.

“He was placed under arrest. He yelled to a nearby pedestrian that he was being assaulted by the arresting officers. In fact, no force was used to effect the arrest,” said Reinbolt.

Hillard was charged with making false alarms. Based on his behavior, officers believed he was under the influence of an illegal narcotic, Reinbolt said, adding that during transport to the county jail, Hillard spit at the transporting officers and damaged the cruiser interior. He was also charged with criminal damaging.

He was booked into the county jail and answered the misdemeanor charges in the Clinton County Municipal Court.

Reinbolt said Hillard has an extensive criminal record dating back to 2012 that includes arrests for burglary, theft and possession of illegal narcotics.

The damage to the police car is estimated at $500 or less.