BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The man charged in 2022 for an hours-long standoff with police in the city’s storm drain system will avoid jail time after reaching a plea deal this week with prosecutors.
On Monday, a judge sentenced Eli Swartzentruber to two and a half years of probation.
Swartzentruber agreed to plead guilty to attempted battery with a deadly weapon (a level 5 felony), intimidation (a level 6 felony), and battery resulting in serious bodily injury (a class A misdemeanor).
All other charges, including sexual battery, confinement and residential entry (all level 6 felonies), and striking a law enforcement animal (a class A misdemeanor), were dismissed.
As part of the agreement, Swartzentruber will be on minimal monitor by probation officers and is allowed to transfer his probation to another county.
BACKGROUND
The case dates back to Sept. 20, 2022.
Around 9:30 a.m. that morning, Bloomington Police responded to Seminary Park for a report of a man, later identified as Swartzentruber, was swinging a steel rod at people in the park.
When police arrived in the area, they were told Swartzentruber had fled into a large storm drain exit on First Street.
For hours that afternoon, police searched several areas along the storm drain system, eventually locating Swartzentruber near Franklin Hall.
The building was evacuated and placed on lockdown for the remainder of the day over concerns Swartzentruber was armed with a gun.
Police eventually made contact with Swartzentruber and used a police K9 and flash bangs to pull him out of the storm drain system.
A search revealed Swartzentruber did not have a gun but he allegedly had rifle cartridges and a machete.
