Detective: Sheffield Lake man called White House during standoff

Elyria police Detective Robert Whiting testified alleged cop shooter Martin L. Robinson called a slew of phone numbers during his hours-long standoff with police, including the White House.

The testimony came March 4 as part of the trial for Robinson, 40, of Sheffield Lake, on attempted murder and felonious assault charges in connection to a March 31 standoff and shootout at his Oliver Street home which left a member of the Lorain County SWAT Team wounded.

Whiting and Elyria police were brought in to investigate the case due to an agreement between his department and the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office and Lorain Police Department, which were both involved in the incident.

Robinson called the White House five times while officers attempted to serve a warrant on weapons charges through Cuyahoga County, Whiting said.

He also made calls to a number of wealth management services, several posts of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Cincinnati office of the FBI, the U.S. Marshal’s office, several attorneys and the National Rifle Association.

These calls were made as Robinson allegedly ignored calls from Deputy U.S. Marshal David Siler attempting to convince him to home peacefully leave his house.

Whiting also testified that Robinson acknowledged he was aware he had a warrant through Cuyahoga County citing text messages between himself and his girlfriend on May 1 and 2.

Robinson had told investigators that he didn’t know he had a warrant, Whiting said.

In the messages from early May, Robinson’s girlfriend pleaded with him to turn himself in so she could quickly bond him out of jail, he said.

She also told him that her mother knew the Cuyahoga County judge handling his case, but Robinson repeatedly responded telling her that he didn’t care.

Earlier in the day, jurors heard testimony from Elyria police Officer Tyler Loesch, who was assigned to retrieve the 20-gauge shotgun slug removed from Amherst police Officer Eugene (JR) Ptacek.

Ptacek was operating in his capacity as a breacher with the county SWAT team when he allegedly was shot by Robinson.

Reid J. Yoder, Robinson’s defense attorney, grilled Loesch on the process of his retrieval of the bullet from MetroHealth Medical Center.

Yoder pressed the officer on where exactly he’d gotten the bullet and who gave it to him.

Loesch said he introduced himself to hospital officials and was shown to a room where he signed out the bullet.

Yoder objected to the bullet being entered into evidence saying there was no way to be sure if that is the actual bullet removed from Ptacek.

Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Tony Cillo argued the bullet should be allowed into evidence because the chain of custody for the evidence had been maintained.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge D. Chris Cook ruled the bullet could be entered into evidence.

Robinson is expected to take the stand when the trial resumes at 9 a.m. March 5.