Talawanda High School student in custody after assault on Hamilton man in Peffer Park

A Talawanda High School student was arrested Monday in connection with an assault on Hamilton resident Scott Jones, 22, with a .22 caliber handgun in Oxford's Peffer Park.

"This was a drug deal incident," said Oxford Police Sgt. Jon Varley.

Police said the 17-year-old gave Jones 15 units of LSD to sell and wanted to be paid back. He went to find Jones in an area of Peffer Park known as the Bluffs, where Jones was laying in a hammock.

The teen approached Jones and demanded repayment. Jones told police that the minor then pointed a gun at him and struck him with it. They began to fight, and Jones was bit several times, police said.

After the fight, the teen left, and Jones reported the incident to police. The teen was arrested Officer Peter Durkin while standing in the middle of the road on Vicki Anda Court.

In his statement to the police, the teen denied pointing the gun at Jones, but said he didn't recall the fight because he had been "Blackout Angry."

He told officers that he had wrapped the gun in his shirt and dumped it. It was recovered by Sgt. Benjamin Hool after being located by Roscoe, the department's canine.

"He said he bought the gun from another juvenile, but refused to name him," said Varley.

The teen was charged with aggravated robbery and remains in the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center in Hamilton.

Holli Morrish, director of communications and public relations for Talawanda School District, said guns are usually not a problem for Talawanda.

"I've only seen one gun incident in my 14 years here," she said, declining to discuss this case specifically.

The Talawanda student said he was "Blackout Angry" when he attacked Jones. --Photo by Duncan Stewart.