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Drug-Fueled Attack Leaves Security Guard Blind
28 Feb
Summary
- Man pleads guilty to kidnapping, assault charges in brutal attack.
- Security guard suffered skull fracture and permanent blindness.
- Attacker high on drugs, attempted to assault fire personnel.
A 28-year-old Springfield man, James Timothy Fickling, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026, to multiple charges including kidnapping and assault, just days before his trial was set to begin. The plea comes after a brutal incident on October 21, 2023, where Fickling, reportedly high on drugs, attacked a 66-year-old security guard at the downtown Premier Health building.
During the assault, Fickling removed his clothes, pulled a fire alarm, and then violently attacked the security guard who responded. He knocked her down, kneed her in the face, and gouged her eyes, causing a skull fracture and permanent blindness in both eyes. Fickling also attempted to attack responding fire personnel, leading to a "Signal 99" emergency police and fire response. He remains in custody pending sentencing on March 13, 2026.
