Ormsby, 38, Arrested For Drugs, Alcohol, After Disorderly Brawl

Following an episode of blatant apparent drunk and disorderly conduct, a Doniphan man, emboldened to believe he could defy arrest, was nonetheless jailed.

Officers with the Doniphan Police Department and Ripley County Sheriff’s Department worked together last week to arrest Edward Ormsby, 38, who has since been charged with a Class D felony of possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated, resisting/interfering with an arrest, detention or stop, operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, and exceeding the posted speed limit.

According to Doniphan Police reports, Officer Dustin Morse was dispatched Jan. 14 to assist Ripley County Deputy Joey Smith with a vehicle stop on Washington Street.

Deputy Smith had initiated the vehicle stop in reference to observed traffic violations by Ormsby and because his vehicle, a green Escalade, and his person appeared to match the descriptions given in a complaint that a male subject had been spotted attempting to break into an elderly lady’s house in Naylor.

Upon arrival at the scene, Officer Morse reported that Ormsby was seated in the vehicle, yelling into his phone that he had a gun and that he was “about to make these cops work for it tonight.”

Deputy Smith advised Officer Morse that before he had pulled the Escalade over, he was run off of the roadway while attempting to pass through on Washington, past Southern Bank.

Deputy Smith said he had observed the vehicle “run a stop sign, turn its lights off and on, turn a 360” and the driver, Ormsby, “was flailing his arms out the window, yelling.”

Officers heard Ormsby, apparently on a phone call, yelling repeatedly, “Ripley County watch me make your cops look stupid tonight! I’m about to play with ‘em.”

The report stated Ormsby made several statements of having a gun under his seat, while keeping his left hand under his coat in his lap, making it impossible for officers to see if he was armed, a circumstance which required added caution on their part.

The report stated Ormsby revved up the engine of the Escalade, put it in park, then back into drive and continued to rev it up, shouting his intention that he was “fixin’ to run, and make you work for it.”

However, Ormsby then stepped out of the vehicle and appeared to do a dance, yelling that he “ran this county and this prison.”

He reportedly went toward the back of the Escalade and then again started yelling and stomping toward Officer Morse, who warned him not to come any closer.

Officer Morse stated he advised Ormsby to lay on his belly on the ground and spread his hands, three times, and waited “a reasonable amount of time between each command,” yet Ormsby refused to comply, screaming profanities.

Ormsby was warned that he would be tased, and stated, “Go ahead.” He told the officer he would “pull the leads out.” At this, Officer Morse stated he deployed the taser, which struck Ormsby in his right shoulder and left leg making a solid connection.

After the five seconds was up Ormsby was again advised by officers to get on his stomach, and he again refused. Officer Morse reported he activated the taser for another five-second round.

Finally, Ormsby was arrested and transported to the Ripley County Detention Center where, prior to being booked, he stated he had a medical condition and claimed his “ear was leaking.”

Officers noticed a small gash to the back of Ormsby’s head; however, he reportedly refused to have medical assessment and would not cooperate with a Standard Field Sobriety Test at the jail.

Ormsby is scheduled to appear in Ripley County court Jan. 22.