Local man arrested for attempted murder of son

A Bloomington man was arrested Tuesday and charged with the attempted murder of his 9-year-old child.\nThe Bloomington Police Department responded to a report by the children’s mother, which stated the parents were involved in a dispute after the mother accused the father, Johnny R. Spurgeon, 45, of putting water and sugar in the gas tank of her vehicle, according to a BPD press release.\nShe told Spurgeon she was going to call the police but Spurgeon told her that if she did, she would not see her children again.\nLocal law enforcement agencies attempted to locate \nSpurgeon’s vehicle. Family members from out of state were contacted with a request to call Spurgeon and ask him to make himself available, according to the press release.\nSpurgeon notified his sister that he was at a church with a cemetery and a playground and that he had run out of gas at about 2:15 p.m. He told his sister he was going to call the mother and have her pick up the children, according to the release.\nAn officer who was with the mother and other family members got Spurgeon to reveal his location. He was found at Mount Pleasant Christian Church, 3100 W. Burma Rd.\nOfficers learned that Spurgeon tried to suffocate the 9-year-old child by manual strangulation after interviewing Spurgeon and both of the children. The child has visible marks to the throat, according to the press release.\nSpurgeon told officers he was mad with the mother for accusing him of vandalizing her car. He indicated he was going to kill the children and then kill himself, according to the press release.\nAfter showing investigators where the incident took place at the Chambersville Cemetery, the location was determined to be in \nOwen County.\nSpurgeon was booked into Owen County Jail. The case is still under investigation.