Matthew Gilbert

slideshow

BIDWELL — A Bidwell man wanted by the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office was arrested late on Thursday evening after he allegedly assaulted an officer and resisted arrest.

Matthew J. Gilbert, 24, was apprehended by the sheriff’s office at approximately 10:15 p.m. on Thursday at apartment 18 in the Gallia Metropolitan Estates, 381 Buckridge Road, Bidwell.

Deputies responded to the area on Thursday evening after Gilbert was reportedly seen near apartments 18 and 19 on the night in question.

Gilbert had been wanted by the sheriff’s office for a period of time, and when a sheriff’s office canine unit approached the area, Gilbert was spotted by the officer running into apartment 18 where he reportedly resides with Heather N. Gilbert, 28.

The deputy later forced entry into the apartment, while two other deputies entered and began to search for Gilbert in the upstairs portion of the residence.

Deputies later looked in the attic area in a bedroom closet of a child’s bedroom and located Gilbert, who had been hiding under insulation.

The suspect was ordered out of the attic and into bedroom where he was told not to move. Before one of the deputies had the chance to handcuff Gilbert, the suspect knocked the deputy down and ran for the stairs of the apartment — in an apparent attempt to escape for the door of the residence.

At this time, the third deputy, who had secured the downstairs portion of the residence, released his canine partner to prevent Gilbert’s escape.

Gilbert was apprehended by the canine and taken into custody by the officers.

Gallia County EMS was called to the scene and the suspect was transported to Holzer Medical Center to be treated for bites sustained during his alleged attempted escape.

He was later transported to the Gallia County Jail.

Heather N. Gilbert, who was also on scene during the incident, was also arrested for obstructing justice through the harboring of a criminal, transported to the Gallia County Jail and was later taken to the Middleport Jail where female prisoners can be housed.

Matthew Gilbert is scheduled to appear before Judge Margaret Evans of the Gallipolis Municipal Court on Wednesday for a court pre-trial in this matter.

The defendant was previously charged with one count of receiving stolen property and one count of burglary in the Common Pleas Court of Gallia County and was sentenced in November 2011 to 24 months of probation after pleading guilty to one count of burglary in this case.

A warrant was later issued for Gilbert’s arrest in early May 2012 after community control violations were filed with the court.

Heather N. Gilbert was arraigned in the municipal court on Friday and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday in this matter.