Coldwater man sentenced for felonious assault, using stolen credit card

Don Reid, The Daily Reporter
·2 min read

COLDWATER — Christopher Hawk, 33, returned to prison Monday for two to five years after a series of plea agreements cleared away cases, including ones he incurred while an inmate in the Branch County Jail.

In June, Hawk pleaded no contest to attempted felonious assault during a dispute Dec. 16 at storage units off South Michigan Avenue. Witnesses said Hawk picked up a rock and struck Aaron Osborne in the face with a rock. The injury left Osborne with a “brain bleed” and a fractured jaw.

Hawk initially denied he was there, but admitted in a text message that he warned Osborne twice before attacking him.

Hawk also pleaded no contest to possession of a credit card from a lost wallet. A man reported he lost his wallet on Christmas Eve in Coldwater. Three days later, his credit card and driver’s license were used to rent two rooms at the Holiday Inn Express on North Willowbrook Road.

An alerted hotel clerk notified Coldwater Police when the man returned. At first, Hawk gave officers another name. When a veteran Michigan State Police trooper who knew Hawk identified him, he fought with officers.

Public defender Matt Glaser said Hawk wanted to withdraw his plea because of new charges. Circuit Judge Bill O’Grady denied the motion.

Branch County prosecutor Zack Stempien offered to dismiss further charges for using the credit card and a new felonious assault in the Branch County Jail. Hawk seriously beat another prisoner during a fight.

Stempien also agreed not to prosecute Hawk for theft of inmate PINs used to place collect telephone calls.

After a discussion with Glaser, Hawk agreed and accepted 24 months in prison.

Judge O’Grady first dealt with Hawk in 2011. He sentenced Hawk to 6-10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to felonious assault. Adrian honor student-athlete Travis Hyder confronted Hawk over the theft of Hyder’s girlfriend’s iPhone. Hawk stabbed Hyder three times outside a Morse Street apartment. Hyder was hospitalized.

Hawk came to Michigan because of juvenile problems in Pennsylvania, where he had a long record. Hawk had been placed in Starr Commonwealth in Albion from age 13 through 16 under court order.

Upon release, he moved to Burr Oak. He was convicted of home invasion in 2008 in St. Joseph County. He then moved to Coldwater, where he had several misdemeanor convictions.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Christopher Hawk sentenced for felonious assault, using stolen credit card