Skip to main content

Attica man put in GC jail after disturbance at Attica motel

By Billie Owens

On Feb. 27, an officer from the Attica Police Department responded to the Attican Motel, located at 11180 Route 98, Attica, for a report of a suspicious male outside room #101 yelling “Someone’s going to get murdered tonight” and “Everyone is going to die.”

Upon arrival at about 9:30 p.m., the officer met with the individual, Channing Ballinger. During the initial interview, Ballinger police say was irate and refused to comply with police directions. The officer attempted to conduct a mental health arrest of the subject when he began to physically attack the officer, pinning the officer to the ground, according to the police report.

During the struggle the officer was able get free from Ballinger and deploy a Taser. Ballinger was taken into custody with the assistance of deputies from the Wyoming County Sheriff Office, the Genesee County Sheriff Office and the New York State Police. Ballinger and the officers did not sustain any injuries. Ballinger was transported to the Wyoming County Community Hospital Emergency Department for mental health evaluation.

The 32-year-old is charged with: second-degree attempted assault on a police officer; resisting arrest; second-degree obstruction of governmental administration; fourth-degree criminal mischief; and disorderly conduct.

Ballinger has an extensive history of mental health disease and has open criminal charges in the Town of Batavia and Village of Warsaw. Upon Ballinger's release from the mental health unit on March 13, he was placed under arrest and arraigned in Attica Village Court on the charges cited above. Ballinger was then put in Genesee County Jail on $25,000, or $50,000 bond.

Ballinger was to reappear in the Town of Alexander Court on March 14. Channing Ballinger has a history of violence against law enforcement and hospital staff.

Howard B. Owens

I'm not 100 percent sure, but I believe the Attican Motel is Village of Attica/County of Genesee.

The Attican is definitely in GC, hence the GC jail.

Mar 21, 2017, 5:35pm Permalink
jeff saquella

glad it ended with a taser and not a bullet, or there would have been protesting in the streets. You see what these cops have to deal with.

Mar 22, 2017, 12:27am Permalink
Jacob Paine

Jeff, you're happy the man didn't get shot because that would lead to protesting? That to me seems like the wrong reason to be happy about this confrontation. How about being happy that it ended without a gun fired because this man is too, human and his life was spared.

Mar 22, 2017, 12:08pm Permalink
jeff saquella

yes jacob....he is human too and his life was spared, but the point i was making was that even though he was totally in the wrong by attacking an officer. the officer did not over react and shoot this guy. like i said there would have been protests in the streets no matter how wrong the guy. dont make more out of it than it is.

Mar 22, 2017, 1:07pm Permalink
Tim Miller

Jeff - your comment was ambiguous as to whether you were happy the man's life was spared, or whether you were happy there wouldn't be any of those darned protesters.

I do agree with you that it is a good thing that the officer used enough force to protect himself, those around him, and the man himself, while not going overboard. Kudos to the officer.

Mar 22, 2017, 2:32pm Permalink
david spaulding

hey any of you remember the race riots in buffalo during the mid 60's. ?. building store fronts were boarded up with "black owned" spray painted across them. The streets were trashed with everything tore down. My parents took us down there to visit relatives. I was young and really did not understand why the riots were going on. Those were some bad times but as I grew older I realized they had to happen. Happy to say my family made it out alive.

Mar 22, 2017, 8:07pm Permalink

Authentically Local