By DEB GRUVER

Staff writer

A Peabody public works employee who grabbed his supervisor’s throat and brought him to the ground June 6, according to a police report, was replaced Monday night by the Peabody City Council.

Public works director Zac Thackston asked the employee, Isaac Hilliard, to go to Sterling to pick up supplies, the report indicates, citing a report Thackston made to the Kansas Department of Labor.

“Isaac refused to drive an hour and 16 minutes to grab a bag of stabilizer,” the report states. “Zac asked Isaac once again, and that’s when Isaac became verbal and used profanity and stated the following: ‘You’re not going to act like a head honcho.”

Thackston, appointed superintendent last month, asked Hilliard to go home. After Hilliard refused to do so, the report states, Thackston told him, “If you’re going to keep acting like this, I will have to write you up.”

Thackston went to a filing cabinet to get a form, and Hilliard slammed the cabinet door shut, the report indicates.

“Zac tries to step around Isaac. That’s when Isaac grabs Zac’s throat and brought him to the ground forcefully, pinning him to the ground,” the report states. “Isaac gets off Zac and then said, ‘I am done,’ and took his city uniform shirt off and left.”

A police officer who took the report said she noticed a big hole near the filing cabinet. Damage was estimated at $60.

“As I was talking to Zac, I observed two wounds on the right side of his face,” officer Medina Sulejmani wrote. “I asked Zac if I could take photographs of his face, and he refused.

“Zac and I continued to talk about the incident. Zac refused to press charges on Isaac multiple times. I also asked Zac if there were video evidence or any witnesses who saw this incident happen. Zac stated there were no cameras in the office and there were no witnesses.”

Hilliard previously resigned from the city in 2021, records show.

Peabody City Council members voted Monday to hire two new public works employees, one of them to replace Hilliard, each at $15 an hour.