Two assaults reported at Lorain County Fair involving intoxicated people, deputies say

WELLINGTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio - The Lorain County Sheriff's Department reported two assaults at the Lorain County Fair Wednesday.

The first happened around 1:19 a.m. in the area of the fairground's campsites when an intoxicated woman allegedly assaulted sheriff's deputies.

According to the Lorain County Sheriff's report, Rebecca Finegan was intoxicated and yelling obscenities in the Lorain County Fair campsite area. Officers asked her if she had been drinking and she responded, "yeah it's the fair."

She was advised to keep it down, moments later she back in action screaming around children and other citizens.

Deputies arrested Finegan and attempted to take her into custody. During her arrest, she allegedly spat on officers and banged her face against the cage in the deputy's cruiser.

When deputies opened the cruiser door to calm her down, they said she started kicking them.

Finegan was finally calmed down and charged with disorderly conduct and assault on a police officer. She will head to Oberlin Municipal Court to face charges.

Late Wednesday evening, deputies were called out to a second assault. According to deputies, a spectator at the Lorain County Fair was punched in the face by a drunk man while watching Wednesday night's tractor trailer pull.

The man was sitting in the spectator bleachers when the incident occurred. The victim, Jarrod Axford of Spencer, Ohio, suffered a chipped tooth during the assault.

Deputies located the suspect, Theodore Pirkel of Elyria, Ohio, walking around the fairgrounds and took him into custody. He admitted to the assault and said he was intoxicated. He was transported to the Lorain County Jail where he was served with an assault complaint.

Pirkel is also expected in Oberlin Municipal Court.