Man sentenced after being convicted of stabbing Ohio elementary school principal

Collins’ defense attorney Richard Nash asked the judge for a minimum sentence on some of the charges, saying the stabbing of Principal William Christian was an “isolated incident� and a “momentary lapse of reason� by Collins while worrying about his son.

Judge Andrew Ballard sentenced Collins to 39 1/2 to 45 years in prison, adding together consecutive sentences from each of the 11 charges.

The sentence was longer than the request for sentencing made by Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson, who asked for a total of 38 to 43 1/2 years.

“For whatever reason the choices were made that day, Mr. Collins, to do what you did ... that may never be known to anybody,� Ballard said.

“After a man was violently stabbed, you stalked him through a cafeteria and chose to terrorize a human being and also placed these victims who were named or who were identified with an individual account, plus every child and staff member in that school through one of the most unimaginable circumstances that this community has ever seen associated in the setting of a public school.�

Ballard also denied a motion by the defense to have a transcript of the grand jury’s deliberation provided to the Court of Appeals as Nash requested. Ballard said, if Nash moves forward with an appeal and the court wants to see a transcript, that is now preserved, and they can request it.

Anderson read one letter during the hearing on behalf of a victim.

“October 24, 2024, had a profound, lasting impact on administrators, teachers, staff, parents and most of all, students of South Point Elementary. We all refer to it as ‘that day,’� Anderson read in the letter.

The letter painted a picture of students hiding under desks with scissors, parents waiting to hear information, and teachers praying and attempting to keep children calm.

“The feeling of always being safe and secure while at school was destroyed for them that day,� Anderson read.