BLANCHESTER —Two people are facing charges after separate incidents early Friday morning.
At around 4:30 a.m. Friday Blanchester police responded to 212 E. Fancy St. on a reported overdose, and a Clinton County Sheriff’s deputy responded to assist, according to Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt.
The officers found Joseph Burkhart, 32, “in the bathroom of the residence with a hypodermic needle in his arm, suspected heroin residue nearby, as well as two additional hypodermic needles in close proximity,” said Reinbolt. He was treated at the scene then transported by Blanchester Emergency Medical Service to Clinton Memorial Hospital.
Reinbolt said Burkhart will be charged with possession of drug abuse instruments upon his discharge from the hospital.
A woman was charged after police say she threatened to kill family members.
At around 12:15 a.m. Friday Blanchester police responded to 121 Central Ave. on a report of a woman with a knife, according to Reinbolt.
He said officers found Yong Parks, 55, on the front porch but she did not have a knife.
“Officers spoke to Parks’ adult son, who stated he found the knife inside the house,” said Reinbolt. “He stated at around 11:30 p.m. he found his mother wandering in the street with the knife and behaving strangely. He said his mother told him that “voices in her head” were telling her to kill him and his father in their sleep tonight. He said he believed the threat to be credible, and phoned police.”
Mrs. Parks was arrested for domestic violence and taken to the Clinton County Jail.
”She has a history of mental disturbances which apparently have not been addressed adequately by mental health professionals,” Reinbolt said. “Police have responded to numerous calls to Parks’ residence over the years based on mental health crises. This is the third call of this nature to the Parks’ residence since Jan. 1.
“I find it regretful that we had to arrest Mrs. Parks, but Ohio’s domestic violence statute made the arrest mandatory,” Reinbolt added. “Perhaps court intervention will help her get the level of mental health services she seems to need.”
