I-TEAM: Man who allegedly shot and killed deputy had previous altercation with police

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The 13 Action News I-TEAM looking deeper into the suspect who allegedly shot and killed Hillsdale County Deputy William Butler Jr.

He’s Eric Fiddler, 34, of Joneseville. He had a pretty lengthy court record including another physical altercation with police.

In looking at court records, we found the warrant that Fiddler was wanted on. It was a misdemeanor and that has turned into all this tragedy. 

“We stared to question the passenger, the passenger wasn’t giving up any information on himself,” said Sheriff Scott Hodshire. 

When deputies pulled over the vehicle with Fiddler inside, they tried to figure out who they were dealing with. 

“The Detective Sergeant eventually figured out who this kid was, knew that he had warrants for his arrest,” said Sheriff Hodshire.

Hillsdale County court records show Fiddler was facing a larceny charge from last September. The Jonesville man never appeared in court for an arraignment and had a warrant out for his arrest.

Court records show it as a misdemeanor with the amount alleged to have been taken as $200 or more but less than $1000. A check of Hillsdale County District Court records show more than 20 cases for Fiddler, many of them traffic.

We did find he had a felony police officer assault case from 2018.

According to court records, a detective “was in plain clothes and off duty when he encountered defendant who he knew to have a valid warrant, identified himself and ordered him to stop running, and thereafter struggled to apprehend him.”

Fiddler eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted assault on a police officer and he received 30 days in jail, according to court records.

That 2018 charge before the incident with the deputy and attempted assault charge was for possession of narcotics and a felony firearm charge. He pleaded guilty to the drug charge and the gun charge was dropped.

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