Glenpool Officers Hurt After Fighting With Suspect

Police work is a dangerous job; more than 50,000 officers are assaulted every year. Two Glenpool officers can be added to that total after they fought with a suspect Sunday afternoon.

Sergeant Charles Smith and Officer Lee Odom answered a 911 call in Glenpool after a woman said her husband choked her in front of their kids.

The officers said they knocked on the door and asked the man to come outside, but Smith said the man refused, and told them to come and get him.

4/13/2015 Related Story: Two Glenpool Officers Injured In Domestic Violence Call

"From there, it was just a fight," Smith said. "We fell over the couch collectively, got up, continued fighting, he was delivering blows to the neck, head, body, everywhere. We're trying to get him to the ground but he's just too big."

Smith said he'd been hitting the man with a baton and fists, but nothing worked.

He said the fight went into the kitchen and back into the living room. He said the man even picked up a chair and hit it over Odom's back.

"He actually tackled me with such force, when I landed the baton flew out of my hand and went through the front door another five, ten yards in the front," said Smith.

Smith was on his back and said the suspect had ahold of his gun belt and the other officer was knocked out, so Smith finally decided he was going to have to shoot.

"As I put the pistol to his head, I heard in simultaneous action, as the pistol touched the hair on his head, his head raised and I heard ‘Taser' and at that moment, he released my gun belt and seized up and I was able to free myself."

He said Edward Ballow kept fighting until they Tased him a few more times and finally got him cuffed.

Ballow was booked for half dozen crimes. They said they found a razor blade knife in his pocket afterward.

Odom is still in the hospital after getting tests for head injuries and his heart. Smith will get an X-Ray on his wrist after the swelling goes down.