A former Darke County Sheriff’s Office deputy was found guilty of assaulting a jail inmate in November 2021. Thomas Combs resigned during the agency’s investigation of the matter. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17.
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By Tammy Watts
DailyAdvocate.com
GREENVILLE — On June 10, a jury found former Darke County deputy Thomas Combs guilty of first-degree misdemeanor assault, against Adam Duncan, of Greenville, then an inmate at the Darke County Jail.
Duncan was booked into the Darke County Jail on Nov. 11, 2021, for an alleged DUI. The assault took place on Nov. 28.
Duncan was indicted on five counts of assault: one fourth-degree felony, two fifth-degree felonies, and two first-degree misdemeanors, stemming from the altercation on Nov. 28. His original arraignment on Jan. 20 of this year, specified three counts of assault on a peace officer, all fourth-degree felonies, two counts of assault, both first-degree misdemeanors, and one count of resisting arrest, a second-degree misdemeanor. His trial is scheduled for July 19 to 20.
Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker stated, “Mr. Combs’s actions did not meet the standards required of a Darke County deputy. He resigned shortly after the incident occurred, during the investigation of that incident. He has now been held accountable by a Darke County court and jury, as he should be.”
First-degree misdemeanors carry a maximum sentence of 180 days in jail, and a $1,000 fine. Combs is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 17.
Contact Daily Advocate Reporter Tammy Watts at [email protected].
