Updated 12/13/2011 3:25 p.m.
A man with a history of mental illness has been charged with attacking his sister and a police officer with a knife during an altercation in the early morning hours of Dec. 7 at a residence in the 4600 block of Deyo Avenue in Brookfield.
Gregory L. Follansbee, 53, is being held on $500,000 bond and is scheduled to be in front of a judge at the Maybrook courthouse for a hearing on Dec. 14. He is charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated domestic battery.
Follansbee’s 57-year-old sister, who cares for Follansbee, called police about 2:30 a.m. after her brother reportedly threatened to kill himself and attacked her when she attempted to stop him from hammering holes into the walls of their home.
According to the police report, Follansbee threw his sister to the ground and punched her repeatedly before she was able to get away and call police. When she called police, Follansbee reportedly told his sister he was going to kill her and himself. He allegedly grabbed a folding knife with a 3-inch blade and began walking toward his sister, who ran for the front door.
Follansbee reportedly slashed at his sister with the knife as they struggled on the front porch of their home. His sister was able to pin his hand holding the knife against the stair railing and keep it there until a police officer arrived.
When Follansbee’s sister released his hand, Follansbee allegedly swung the knife at her, slashing his sister’s left ear. He then allegedly turned on the police officer, who had his gun drawn. As Follansbee walked toward the officer and made slashing motions with the knife, the officer unholstered his Taser and, after reportedly warning Follansbee twice to drop the knife, fired the Taser at Follansbee, causing him to fall to the ground.
The officer was able to take the knife from Follansbee and throw it away before he and another police officer were able to handcuff Follansbee. Police said Follansbee apparently also slashed his own left forearm during his struggle with his sister.
His sister’s injury was reportedly minor and did not require hospitalization, according to police.
The police report indicates that Follansbee has a history of mental illness and that his sister had been regulating his medication until about two weeks ago, when he took control of his medication. Since that time, according to the police report, Follansbee’s behavior has become unpredictable and violent.
Police say that since his arrest Follansbee has been uncooperative and, at one point on Dec. 8, reportedly attempted to leave his hospital room. He was stopped by a police officer and was restrained to his hospital bed.
