TAHLEQUAH —
Prosecutors have filed four felony charges and three misdemeanors against a Tahlequah man accused of wielding a machete and threatening to kill numerous people last month.
Bobby Joe Ross, 49, is formally charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, placing bodily fluids on a police officer, assault and battery on a police officer, two counts of threatening to perform an act of violence, and malicious injury to property.
Tahlequah Police Patrolman Chance Davis was dispatched on Dec. 22 to a domestic disturbance in the 500 block of Circle Street. Ross was allegedly attempting to stab the tires of a woman’s vehicle with a kitchen knife because the woman wouldn’t give him a ride.
Davis said he then went to find Ross to talk about the incident, and Ross came around the corner of the residence wielding a machete. Ross allegedly screamed at the officer, saying, “Here I am mother f----r!” Davis drew his firearm and ordered Ross to drop the weapon, according to a probable-cause affidavit filed by the officer.
Ross screamed more profanity at Davis and walked toward the officer while he moved the machete upward, according to Davis’ report of the incident.
Cherokee Nation Marshal Ralph Travis then used his electroshock weapon, commonly referred to as a taser, on Ross. The prongs struck Ross in the torso, causing him to drop the machete and fall to the ground, according to Davis. Officers said Ross tried again to grab the weapon while he was on the ground. Travis reportedly gave Ross a second shot of the taser and, with the help of NSU Officer Joe Roberts, Ross was handcuffed.
Police said Ross continued to fight by kicking at officers and trying to grab Davis’ fingers. Ross then screamed threats, saying he would kill a number of people and that he wished he would have gotten to officers quicker so he could have used his machete on them. Ross allegedly told police he had been to prison before, wasn’t afraid to go back, and that he had been looking for an opportunity to kill a police officer since being out of jail.
Ross allegedly continued his tirade and told officers he wasn’t making threats, but instead was making promises, and that he would be glad to tell a judge he made death threats against officers.
Ross was held in the Cherokee County Detention Center. He pleaded not guilty Monday during a court appearance, and bond was set at $50,000. Ross was ordered to have no contact with the victim of the original incident, and is set to be back in district court Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. in front of Associate District Judge Mark Dobbins.
If convicted, Ross could face up to 10 years in prison for the assault charges.
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