A judge cut a Gary man’s bail in half Friday — for three pending cases — after his lawyer argued he was at risk after his jaw was fractured in jail in January.
Spencer Patterson, 29, must pay $10,000 to bond out on attempted murder, aggravated battery and criminal recklessness cases from last year. His prior bail for all cases was $19,500.
Defense lawyer John Cantrell said he was “attacked in jail” and asked Judge Salvador Vasquez if Patterson could get house arrest or released on his own recognizance.
There was “no chance,” Vasquez said.
Cantrell asked him for a lower bond “you think is fair”. Court records show Patterson’s bond reduction was denied in August. The injury was a legal “change in circumstance” to revisit, he argued.
Deputy Prosecutor Tara Villarreal said there was little documentation from the jail. They didn’t know if he could have started the fight, plus he was an “extreme danger” to the community and a flight risk.
Vasquez cut the bail in all three cases.
The attempted murder case is scheduled for trial on May 20, with the other two set in June.
In the former, Patterson is facing multiple charges, including attempted murder and striking a law enforcement animal, for fatally shooting Gary Police K9 officer Falco during a foot chase on July 13, 2023.
Around 1:45 p.m., police said a Ford Fusion belonging to Patterson crossed the intersection of Ridge Road and Grant Street in Gary, where a license plate reader determined that Patterson had multiple active felony warrants pending against him out of Gary, including charges of aggravated battery and criminal recklessness.
Gary officer Angel Lozano and his K9 partner, Falco, proceeded to the area of the 1000 block of East 35th Place to search for Patterson, where they engaged in a foot pursuit in an area with knee-high greenery, according to the probable cause affidavit. A witness told police that Patterson jumped over a fence and Falco followed him, hopping over the fence as well. Lozano couldn’t climb the fence, so he ran along its east side when he heard a few shots go off, records state.
Falco was shot during the short chase, and he died from his wounds in the back of the residence. Falco served eight years with the Gary Police Department, with more than 1,000 deployments, apprehending suspects and seizing numerous drugs, according to Gary Police Chief Anthony Titus.
In the backyard, Lozano noticed Falco was down but couldn’t initially locate Patterson, court records state. He told investigators that as he approached the west side of the residence, Patterson fired at him and he fired back at Patterson. At that point, Patterson gave up and was taken into custody, the affidavit states.
Post-Tribune archives contributed.
