NEWS

Indiana judge gets suspended sentence for shoving police chief

Douglas Walker
dwalker@muncie.gannett.com

PORTLAND, Ind. – The judge of Dunkirk City Court has been placed on probation for a year for shoving the Jay County city’s police chief, who is also the judge’s nephew.

Tommy Dale “Chip” Phillips II, 62, received a one-year suspended sentence Monday from Jay Superior Court Judge Max Ludy Jr.

Ludy accepted the terms of a plea deal negotiated by Phillips’ attorney, Kelly Bryan, and Adams County Prosecutor Jeremy Brown, appointed special prosecutor in the case.

Phillips pleaded guilty to battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 felony. However, his conviction was entered as a misdemeanor.

One of the terms of his probation is that Phillips have no contact with Dunkirk Police Chief Dane Mumbower.

Round 1: Court documents reveal judge's assault on police chief

Phillips was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service. A military veteran, the Dunkirk resident will perform that service at the VA hospital in Marion.

Phillips was charged with the battery count last September. According to court documents, the City Court judge shoved Mumbower during an Aug. 16 meeting at the Dunkirk police station that also included Gene Ritter, mayor of the city of more than 2,300 residents.

The Indiana Supreme Court suspended Phillips – who had been Dunkirk City Court’s judge since October 2000 – after the criminal charge was filed. It later issued an order directing Ludy and Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison to take on the Dunkirk court’s caseload for the time being.

Phillips is also a longtime local educator.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. Follow him on Twitter: @DouglasWalkerSP.