photo by: Mugshot courtesy of the Kansas Department of Corrections

Ronald D. Walters is pictured with the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

A dispute over a borrowed tool led to a bout of violence that allegedly included a brutal beating with a ball peen hammer and an attempt to mow people down with a vehicle.

The accused, Ronald Dwayne Walters, 50, of Lawrence, is charged in Douglas County District Court with one count of aggravated battery, one count of criminal threat and two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, all felonies. Walters is also charged with one misdemeanor count of criminal damage for allegedly breaking down a door in connection with the incident on April 28 at a rural residence in the 1200 block of 1900 Road, near Eudora, as the Journal-World previously reported.

The following details are from the sworn police affidavit in support of Walters’ arrest. Allegations in arrest affidavits have not been proved in court.

According to the affidavit, a man called police to report that Walters had come to the residence and attacked the homeowner with a ball peen hammer. The caller was running away from the scene while Walters was in a Jeep coming after him.

“He’s beating the f-k out of him,” the caller told the dispatcher. “(The homeowner) is inside the house somewhere and I’m not sure he is still alive.”

A Eudora police officer along with two Douglas County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene around 3:30 p.m. By that time the caller had evaded Walters but told the officers that Walters, “a very big guy,” was still on the property somewhere driving in a Jeep.

Officers then made contact with the homeowner, who was bleeding from the left side of his head and was believed to be on the telephone with Walters, telling Walters that “cops were on the way” and that Walters had created the situation by coming to the residence and hitting the homeowner in the head. Walters reportedly said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” and hung up. Officers also observed blood stains on the floor near the doorway.

The 911 caller told police that the incident started with a text message from Walters demanding $50 and gas money because Walters had let the homeowner and the caller borrow a Sawzall, which is a trade name for a reciprocating saw. He said that after receiving the message he saw Walters pull up to the residence, go inside, and begin arguing with the homeowner before Walters began hitting the homeowner with the hammer.

The homeowner was able to push Walters out of the house and lock the door behind him, but Walters then kicked the door in and attacked the homeowner again, the affidavit said. The caller then told Walters he was calling the police and ran for his vehicle to try to leave the property. Walters said he would kill both of the men and began to chase the caller, according to the affidavit. The caller told police that he feared Walters would run him over as he ran but he was able to get to his truck. The affidavit wasn’t clear where Walters went after the caller took shelter in his truck.

While police were interviewing the men they observed Walters east of the residence opening a wooden gate to leave. Officers approached Walters and commanded him to stop, to which Walters allegedly replied, “If they don’t got my money I’m going to whoop them.”

Officers then ordered Walters not to get into his Jeep, and Walters replied “f-k you,” before Walters drove at the officers, forcing a Eudora police officer and a sheriff’s deputy to move out of the way while yelling “look out,” the affidavit said. Walters then drove to where the 911 caller was and jumped out of his Jeep to chase the caller on foot. Officers were able to intervene and put Walters in custody while Walters continued to threaten both men.

Police later noted that Walters was supposed to have an interlock device in his Jeep that would test him for the presence of alcohol before the vehicle would start. Walters was not charged for not having the required device.

According to court records, Walters was convicted in Douglas County for DUI in December of 2021. Walters has numerous other convictions through the years for multiple misdemeanor battery and felony battery charges in Douglas and Franklin counties.

Walters is currently in custody at the Douglas County Jail and is being held on a $20,000 cash or surety bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court on May 30 for his attorney, Angelo Panas, to request that the court modify his bond conditions.