Poe case goes to next grand jury

A Cleveland City councilman says that after nearly seven months of dealing with potential charges, he would have been better off not confronting a burglar at his son's home.

Councilman George Poe was cited for aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, and his case was bound over for the Bradley County Grand Jury's October session.

But Russell Johnson, district attorney in the 9th Judicial District, said there were not enough qualified grand jurors in the October session. Too many jurors either knew of the incident or knew Mr. Poe, he said.

The case could be heard this month or in December and results released the following month if the jurors decide there's enough evidence to indict.

"I would have been better off if I had never confronted the man, of course," Mr. Poe said in a telephone interview. "It had nothing to do with the theft, it was when he tried to run over me."

He said he doesn't think he should have been charged at all, that he was only defending himself. And that the case surprised him and others.

"That's all I was trying to do, protect my life," Mr. Poe said.

Mr. Poe, 65, said he shot at Randall Brogdon's vehicle after the driver tried to run him over after stealing his son's lawnmower on May 22.

He said saw a man load the mower into the trunk of a Toyota Avalon. When he yelled, the driver jumped into the Avalon and drove toward him.

Mr. Poe said he was trapped between two fences, so he drew a .380 Ruger semiautomatic pistol and fired one shot as the car swerved near him. He said he fired the rest of his shots into the air to scare off the driver.

Then Mr. Poe jumped in his car, notified police on his own police radio and followed the Avalon, which hit two other vehicles while trying to get away.

Police arrested Mr. Brogdon on charges of aggravated burglary. They also arrested his wife, Sandra Brodgon, who was in the Avalon.

Mr. Johnson is handling the case because 10th Judicial District Attorney Steve Bebb recused himself.