Police: Muncie man started fight at garage sale, swung at officers

MUNCIE, Ind. — A shirtless Muncie man, allegedly high on fentanyl, is accused of walking up to a garage sale, kicking a dog, breaking several items, and swinging at responding police officers.

Michael O’Neal, 47, was arrested and transported to Delaware County Jail on preliminary felony charges of battery against a police officer and intimidation. He also faces potential misdemeanor charges of theft and resisting law enforcement.

According to court documents, O’Neal walked up to a garage sale taking place on W. Adams Street on Friday evening and began breaking several items by throwing them onto the ground. Witnesses said they didn’t know O’Neal and claimed he didn’t say a word, just marched up and started breaking things.

After shattering a wax burner, O’Neal allegedly kicked the garage sale operator’s dog in the head and began trying to fight with one of the witnesses.

Police arriving on scene spotted O’Neal in the front yard trying to fight with a bystander. O’Neal is accused of walking away from police and then throwing a punch at an officer who grabbed him to try and get him to stop.

A police report indicates that officers took O’Neal to the ground, his head striking the pavement and causing “visible injury” in the process.

Officers learned later, after speaking to witnesses, that O’Neal stole several silver bracelets from the garage sale. He was wearing them on his wrist when police checked on him at the hospital, according to court documents.

O’Neal allegedly spoke to officers while he was in the hospital, reportedly admitting to ingesting fentanyl and fluctuating between being calm and threatening to kill the police officers.

Court records indicate that O’Neal was on probation at the time of the incident. In May, he pleaded guilty to unlawfully carrying a handgun due to having a prior felony conviction. He was sentenced to five years of probation.

O’Neal’s prior felony conviction stems from 2023, when he pleaded guilty to robbery as a Level 5 felony in addition to using a hoax device, a Level 5 felony.

No charges have yet been filed in the garage sale incident. Final charging decisions are made by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office.