BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — A Columbus man was sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to the attempted murder of a woman last year.
Ryan Halligan faced several other charges, including aggravated battery, criminal confinement and auto theft. Those charges were dropped, according to online court records.
In October 2020, police responded to the Hamilton Center Ice Arena, located at 2501 Lincoln Park Drive. There, a woman, Emily Baxter, was on the ground with a man, later identified as Halligan, bent over her.
Officers said Baxter had just arrived for work at the Center, where she's an ice skating instructor, when Halligan approached her in the parking lot. Baxter was able to get back into her car and attempted to drive away; however, Halligan crashed a stolen vehicle into her car and then proceeded to assault and stab her.
According to investigators, Baxter and Halligan did not know each other.
Online court records show Halligan was sentenced to 35 years on the attempted murder charge and an additional 15 years were added to his sentence as a habitual offender enhancement. He was also ordered to pay more than $10,000 in restitution to Baxter.
