Eaton man arrested after failing to appear in court

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EATON — An Eaton man who failed to appear in court for sentencing earlier this month was arrested in Camden and now faces additional drug-related charges, after Camden Police officials located him hiding at a home in the village.

James Azbill, 43, of 210 Eaton-Lewisburg Road, did not appear for his sentencing on Wednesday, July 19, according to Camden Police Chief Matt Spurlock.

“Once we were alerted to his presence in our community, we quickly addressed the issue,” Spurlock said. “Azbill has a lengthy criminal history; with him in our community it puts our citizens at risk.”

According to court records, on July 19, Spurlock and a CPD sergeant went to 7190 N. Main Street to attempt to contact with Azbill and Brittany Betzner. Eaton Police officials had notified CPD Azbill and Betzner had arrest orders from their parole officer.

At the residence, “after approximately 25 minutes of knocking and announcing ourselves loudly,” Spurlock reported they observed Betzner come to the back door. She advised the officers the back door was broken and would not open, and officers had her meet them at the front of the home. According to court documents, once Betzner met officers, she was placed in handcuffs and asked where Azbill was located. Spurlock reported, Betzner advised them Azbill was in the back bedroom, and told him to come out. He did not.

“Azbill was ordered to come out and show his hands, and he then began to talk to us,” Spurlock reported. “Sgt. Brown and I then went to the bedroom and we could see Azbill’s hands sticking out of the closet. Azbill was told several times to come out and he did not comply, so Sgt. Brown and I grabbed his arms and turned him on his stomach and he was taken outside.”

A subsequent search of the bedroom turned up a green bag with “three syringes, one silver pill holder (empty,) one silver container with nine caps of heroin and one silver container with one orange pill and two half white pills.”

According to court documents, the heroin was weighed at the Camden Police Department and weighed .80 grams and the orange pill was identified as Suboxone, a schedule III drug. The remaining pills were unable to be identified and were sent to the Miami Valley Crime lab along with the heroin and orange pill.

Azbill was charged with fifth-degree felony possession of heroin, second-degree misdemeanor possession of drug abuse instruments, first-degree misdemeanor possession of drugs; and second-degree misdemeanor obstruction of official business.

“Apparently Azbill thought if you turn off all the lights and hide in a closet your arrest warrant will go away,” Spurlock said in an email. “That is not how it works in reality.”

Azbill remained incarcerated at the Preble County Jail at press time, and was scheduled to appear in court this week.

Azbill
http://registerherald.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2017/07/web1_Azbill-mug.jpgAzbill

Betzner
http://registerherald.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2017/07/web1_Betzner-mug.jpgBetzner

By Eddie Mowen Jr.

[email protected]

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4056 or on Twitter @emowen_RH

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