Man sentenced for grabbing cop’s gun

ATHENS – According to our news partner KETK, an Athens man has been sentenced to 35 years in state prison after he was arrested on May 15, 2023 for grabbing an officer’s gun, evading arrest causing serious bodily injury and manufacture/delivery of cocaine, judicial records show. Jonathan Dewayne Cumby, 42 of Athens, was arrested after Athens Police Department officer Matthew Halbert and corporal Melissa Goss pulled him over in the 300 block of Jonathan Street, according to Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer.

Several clear baggies were seen in a fanny pack that Cumby was wearing and then he was asked to get out of the vehicle. According to Palmer, he took off the fanny pack and held it in his hand, was ignoring the officer’s commands and then started running. As Cumby ran, Goss reportedly tried to grab him and she fell and broke her femur, and then Halbert sprained his knee at some point in the altercation. A press release from the DA said that, Cumby then reportedly grabbed Halbert’s gun and was arrested at some point after that.

“Despite the risks they face every day, officers like Matthew Halbert and Corporal Melissa Goss with the Athens Police Department continue to put their lives on the line to protect our communities,” said Palmer. “We are grateful for their service and dedication, and we acknowledge the sacrifices they make in the line of duty.”
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On Wednesday, Cumby was sentenced to 35 years in the custody of Texas Department of Criminal Justice for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, 20 years for taking a weapon from an officer, 20 years for evading arrest/detention causing serious bodily injury.

According to Palmer, Cumby’s sentence was “enhanced” because of a prior conviction. Cumby’s sentences all started on Wednesday, according to criminal records.