The Bellefontaine Police Department Special Response Team executed a firearms-related search warrant Thursday afternoon, Sept. 18, that led to multiple arrests, the recovery of weapons and suspected crack cocaine, and the safe removal of a four-month-old infant from a basement.
Around 2:16 p.m. Sept. 18, officers surrounded a home at 727 W. Patterson Avenue after receiving information that two convicted felons were in possession of firearms and that a wanted man was also inside, police said.
After repeated announcements were ignored, officers used a beanbag round to break a window to get the attention of the occupants. Two men, including Joseph Lakatos, 58, came to the front door and were detained.
A police drone later located a man and woman hiding in the basement along with an infant. Officers broke a basement window and deployed gas, prompting the adults to surrender. The baby was removed unharmed. The man was identified as Timothy Tewksbury, 54, who was arrested on a charge of having weapons under disability. Lakatos was also charged with having weapons under disability.
During the search of the home, police recovered a Ruger 5.56 AR rifle, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and suspected crack cocaine.
Meanwhile, officers learned the wanted man had fled into the neighboring house at 725 West Patterson Avenue. After surrounding the home and ordering occupants to exit, David Hunsicker, 58, came outside but was uncooperative about who else was inside. Eventually, DeWayne L. Brown, 41, and a woman surrendered. Brown was taken into custody on a felony warrant out of Clark County for a drug charge, as well as possession of crack cocaine. Hunsicker was arrested on a charge of obstructing justice.
Detectives also searched Hunsicker’s residence, where more suspected crack cocaine, paraphernalia, and cash were found. Field tests confirmed the substances were crack cocaine, police said.
