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January 2010
Suspected drug dealers ram detective’s undercover car while trying to flee
DAYTON — A red pickup truck carrying three suspected drug dealers rammed an undercover Dayton police detective’s vehicle Friday night, Jan. 29, following a drug deal the detectives witnessed that resulted in six arrests.
Detectives observed the heroin transaction about 6:30 p.m. near West Bruce Avenue and Main Street. The transaction involved a gray Oldsmobile carrying three men from Sidney and a woman from Piqua, and the truck carrying three men, Dayton police Lt. Brian Johns said.
When detectives moved in to stop the vehicles, the truck rammed the undercover car and fled, Johns said. Police found the discarded truck later and used a dog to track two of the three suspects from that vehicle, Johns said.
All four people in the Oldsmobile were also arrested, and police found a loaded .357 Magnum revolver and about $1,000 in cash in that car, Johns said.
The six arrested were:
Deonte Winston, 21, of Dayton, the driver of red truck. He’s facing charges of felonious assault, failure to comply with a police order, trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs.
Damon Ellis, 33, of Blacklick, Ohio, a passenger in the truck. He’s facing two outstanding warrants — including one from Wright State University police — and charges of falsification, obstructing official business and trafficking in drugs.
Kyle Harris, 23, of Sidney, on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
Nicholas Harris, 21, of Sidney, on a charge of prohibited substance solicitation.
Shaneek Fogle, 18, of Piqua, on three outstanding warrants for probation violations.
Jarrod Copeland, 28, of Sidney, on charges of prohibited substance solicitation and possessing drug abuse instruments.
All six were booked into the Montgomery County Jail.
TweetDate line conversations lead to assaults, robberies and charges
HARRISON TWP., Montgomery Country — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has secured charges against three females who accused of robbing and assaulting two men who met one of the women through a telephone service meant to connect men and women.
Jasmine Cooper, 18, was arrested Thursday, Jan. 28, on charges of felonious assault and two counts of robbery, and sheriff’s deputies are continuing to look for a second woman, Iesha Morrell, 19. A third female, a juvenile, is not being identified by officials by name and remains at large, sheriff’s Capt. David Hale said Friday.
The investigation began Wednesday after a man reported being stabbed in the 4400 block of Riverside Drive and ran naked into the night seeking help. The man told deputies he was visiting acquaintances in an apartment when three women cut him with sharp instruments, Hale said.
The man said the women stole his cell phone and keys and drove off in his car. He later told deputies he went to the apartment to meet one of the women, later identified as Cooper, through the telephone service.
A second man, after hearing the first man’s story, told deputies on Wednesday that he had been assaulted and robbed Monday by a similar group of three women after he went to meet one of them, Cooper, following communication on the “chat line” or “dating line.” That man was not stabbed but said he had been assaulted with the handle of mop or broom, Hale said.
The group stole the man’s cigarettes, cell phone and keys, but he had an extra key to his car and drove away, Hale said.
The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information about the incident or the suspects to call county Crime Stoppers at (937) 225-7867.
TweetArrest made in bizarre stabbing of naked Troy man
HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office has arrested one of three women in the stabbing of Troy man who fled from their apartment naked earlier this week.
Jasmine Cooper, 18, has been formally charged by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office with five felony counts, including assault and robbery, for her role in the stabbing/robbery of a Troy man on Tuesday, Jan. 26, and the robbery of another man the day before, authorities said.
Cooper is in jail on $50,000 bond, according to jail records.
The Tuesday incident occurred when the Troy man arrived at an apartment at 4492 Riverside Drive after he agreed to meet up with the women for some kind of sexual encounter, authorities said.
He then ran naked into the cold night about 10 p.m. screaming for help and bleeding from minor stab wounds and cuts.
Cooper and two other women, including one juvenile, fled in the man’s 1999 gold Pontiac Grand Prix before sheriff’s deputies arrived. The man was treated and released for minor injuries at a local hospital, authorities said.
Chief Deputy Scott Landis said Wednesday the man did not want to press any charges, but just wanted his car back.
Another alleged victim emerged Wednesday after news of the attack was made public and deputies were able to connect the two, Maj. Dave Hale said. The victim said he was lured to the apartment and then robbed.
Authorities said they know who the other two alleged women are and are searching for them.
All three women were described as black females ages 18 to 21. One was described as being 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds. The second suspect was described as being 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 250 to 300 pounds. The third suspect was described as a dark-skinned black female, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 225-STOP.
TweetCar thieves bust out windows, steal electronics
DAYTON - Police are imploring vehicles owners with electronics, in particular GPS units, in their cars to keep them out of sight or remove them altogether as car break-ins continue to surge in parts of the city.
The problem has mainly been on the city’s southeast side, where at least four vehicles were broken into Thursday, Jan. 28, near Wayne and Watervliet avenues, according to police reports.
In nearly every incident, thieves smashed car windows and took GPS units and, in some cases, clothes and tools kept in vehicles. Lt. Larry Faulkner said thieves are selling the GPS units for $10 and sometimes $20 on the street.
Police in the city’s southeast district said earlier this month they’ve noticed an increase in car break-ins that started around Christmas. Lt. Chris Williams said then residents should keep watch of their neighborhoods and report any suspicious people or activity by calling 333-COPS or 911.
TweetUndercover cops raid apartment used in alleged drug operation
DAYTON — Undercover officers with the Dayton Police Department arrested four people Friday, Jan. 29, who police said used an east-side apartment to sell drugs.
Kenneth Pope Jr., 29, Raymond Bush Jr., 35, Katleen Carter, 44, and Tod Sams Sr., 40, were arrested at 805 Wilmington Ave., Apartment 29, on drug-related charges after undercover officers bought crack cocaine from the group, according to a police report.
Police said they received numerous complaints from residents who said drugs were being sold from the apartment and decided to take a look for themselves.
A controlled drug buy was foiled when Bush took the undercover officer’s $20 and left, according to a police report. But others inside the apartment said they felt bad and told the officers to call “Cowboy” and he “will take care of you,” the report stated.
Sams said the apartment was his and “Cowboy” later identified as Pope, would come just about every day, sell all the drugs he had and leave when he was sold out, the report stated.
Sams said Pope paid him in beer or crack for use of the apartment, the report stated.
The officers called Pope and setup another buy, the report stated. This time Pope arrived and sold the officers crack cocaine, the report stated.
He was arrested on a felony drug trafficking charge, the report stated. Sams was arrested on a felony charge of permitting drug use and Carter a drug possession charge after the officers found crack in her pants, the report stated.
Bush was also arrested on a felony drug trafficking charge.
Police urge anyone who suspects illegal activity in their neighborhood to call 333-COPS.
TweetCity police officer, firefighter receive honors
Dayton police detective Doug Roderick was named Law Enforcement Office of the Year and Dayton fire paramedic David Gerstner Firefighter/EMS of the Year by the Montgomery County Association of Police Chiefs.
The awards were presented to both officers at a recent banquet, according to the organization’s press release.
The organization’s release said Roderick, a computer and cellphone forensic examiner, was chosen because he “Recently helped to solve a case where a local coach engaged in illegal sexual conduct with underage girls. He also helped to identify a traveling sexual predator suspect who had taken two juvenile females out of the local area, as well as identify four other sexual predators located around the country.”
Gerstner “was recognized for his role in getting the information about the H1N1 virus and vaccines distributed quickly and efficiently in Montgomery County,” the release said.
TweetSheriff’s deputy involved in multi-vehicle accident
HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County - A Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy looking for burglary suspects was hit by another car while inside his cruiser at Shoup Mill Road and North Main Street just around 9 a.m. today, Jan. 28.
There were no serious injuries in the accident, said sheriff’s Maj. Scott Landis, who added the incident is being investigated as “a failure to yield.” It was not clear who was at fault in the accident, Landis said.
Three vehicles were involved in the accident. The sheriff deputy was traveling north on Sue Ann Boulevard with his lights on when two other vehicles, both traveling east on Shoup Mill, struck his vehicle, said Chris Colbert of the Ohio State Patrol.
“At this point, we are still sorting out the details,” Colbert said.
No one was removed to a local hospital and a portion of intersection was shut down because of the crash, Landis said.
TweetWoman arrested by undercover cop for selling sex on Internet
DAYTON - A 32-year-old woman who police said posted a sex-for-hire advertisement on a Web site was arrested Wednesday, Jan. 27, after soliciting an undercover police officer.
Tamara Northern posted an advertisement on www.backpage.com titled “Your one stop feel good shop” and when the undercover opened it up found the woman described various sexual acts she would perform for money, according to a police report.
The undercover detective called Northern and setup a meeting at her apartment later that evening, the report stated.
Officers arrived at her apartment at 2327 Nill Ave. near Belmont High School about 7 p.m. and watched as her fiance Cassey Morris left the apartment, the report stated.
The undercover detective then walked up to her apartment and on the way in noticed she had a video camera in a birdhouse outside that was hooked to a television inside her apartment, the report stated.
Once inside Northern stripped down to a purple negligee and instructed the detective to take off his clothes, the report stated. The detective gave Northern $175 and then gave nearby officers a “predetermined take-down signal,” the report stated.
Northern told officer she recently lost her job and trying to make money, the report stated. Officers also arrested Morris but later released him on a citation for driving without a license, the report stated.
Northern was arrested on misdemeanor charges of soliciting prostitution and having criminal tools, the report stated.
TweetReport of girl raped in park not credible, police conclude
DAYTON - Special Victims Unit detectives have determined that a 15-year-old girl’s account she was raped this week near Triangle Park on her way home from school was not credible.
Unit detectives said Wednesday, Jan. 27, they have ended their investigation.
Dayton Sgt. Tom Flanders would not give details why his unit stopped its investigation, but police said residents should not be concerned there is a rapist on the loose.
The girl told officers she was walking home from school Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 26, when a man displayed a knife and raped her, police said.
A K-9 unit was called to search the scene, police said, and there was no evidence found that backed the girl’s claim.
TweetMurder trial leads police to charges in 2007 homicide
DAYTON - Homicide detectives said they have secured more murder charges against two gang members already in the Montgomery County Jail and prison on charges related to another homicide.
Sgt. Gary White said his detectives got information related to the 2007 murder of Dewayne Burg Sr. at a trial for Theron “T Streets,” who was later sentenced to life in prison for the 2009 homicide of Isaac Gibson.
That information led to Montgomery County prosecutors to approve Tuesday, Jan. 26, a murder charge against Lewis and fellow Dayton View Hustler gang member Keith “Hooskal King” Watson for Burg’s killing, White said.
“(Burg) was shot to death in a home invasion/robbery on Harold Drive,” White said. “There were three suspects involved. Burg was attempting to protect his quadriplegic son when he was shot.”
Burg, a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy, reacted when one of the men aimed a weapon at his son, police said at the time.
White said numerous witnesses to the shooting picked Lewis and Watson out of a lineup as the ones who broke into Burg’s home that day.
Lewis was convicted for the murder of Gibson at an April cookout in honor of Thomas “Tom Tom” Watson. Thomas Watson was killed in broad daylight days before Gibson’s slaying while playing basketball at College Hill Park.
Police said the shooting was a gang-related attack on someone on the basketball court, but never said if Thomas Watson was the target.
Witnesses to Burg’s slaying told police Thomas Watson was the third gunman in Burg’s home that day, White said.
Keith Watson is still awaiting trial for his involvement in Gibson’s death. He is still in jail.
Police said all three suspects in Burg’s killing were members of the Dayton View Hustlers (DVH), which emerged in 2009 as the city’s most violent gang rooted in the Dayton View neighborhood.
Thomas Watson was believed to be the leader of DVH at the time of his death.
Sheriff Phil Plummer said in an interview last month all local law enforcement agencies have dedicated manpower to eradicating the gang.
Here are the charges prosecutors approved today related to homicide of Dewayne Burg: Theron Lewis: • First-degree felonies of aggravated robbery (physical harm); aggravated robbery (deadly weapon); aggravated burglary (physical harm); aggravated burglary (deadly weapon). • Murder (proximate result of committing Aggravated Robbery) • Murder (proximate result of committing Aggravated Burglary) • Having Weapons While Under Disability (prior offense of violence, felony of the third degree)
Keith Watson: • First-degree felonies of aggravated robbery (physical harm); aggravated robbery (deadly weapon); aggravated burglary (physical harm); aggravated burglary (deadly weapon). • Murder (proximate result of committing Aggravated Robbery) • Murder (proximate result of committing Aggravated Burglary)
TweetMan tells police he was shot in leg while escaping men in black
DAYTON - Police are investigating a man’s story that he was shot in the leg while retrieving his date’s food from a vehicle in the 100 block of Shaw Avenue, Saturday, Jan. 23.
David C. Carter drove himself to Miami Valley Hospital about 1 a.m. and was found there by police with a gunshot wound to the leg, according to a police report. Carter said he was walking a woman home to her apartment when she remembered they left food in his car, the report stated.
On his way back to the car, Carter said he was approached by four to five men wearing all black with black bandannas over their faces, the report stated. Carter said he jumped into his vehicle and the men attempted to pull him from the car, the report stated.
Carter said he was able to drive away as he heard shots being fired, but felt pain in his leg, the report stated. Officers were unable to talk to any witnesses at the apartment building because it was a secure building, the report stated.
Anyone with information is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetMember of street advocacy group arrested on drug, gun charges
DAYTON — A man affectionately known as “Uncle Walt” who works as a member of a local organization attempting to help ex-felons was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 21, on drug and gun charges following a Dayton police narcotics bureau investigation.
Walter Lane, 51, was arrested at 708 Oxford Ave. at 6:15 p.m. on charges of having weapons while under disability, possessing criminal tools and trafficking in drugs, according to jail records. He is a member of the Street Souljahz, which, according to founder Marlon Shackelford, is a group that works in conjunction with law enforcement to assist and mentor ex-felons.
Lane’s arrest was part of an ongoing investigation into alleged drug dealing at two apartments at the address, said Dayton police Lt. Brian Johns.
Another man, 28-year-old Robert E. Christian, was also arrested while police and SWAT team members served arrest warrants, Johns said. Weapons and drugs were found in both apartments during the investigation, Johns said.
Lane often represented the Street Souljahz at homicide vigils in the city, Shackelford said. He has been interviewed several times by the Dayton Daily News during such events.
During those interviews, Lane said he had spent 21 years in prison for aggravated robbery and felonious assault convictions. He said he wanted to help others avoid those “mistakes.”
“I’ve done 21 years in prison for you so you don’t need to do it,” Lane told a group at a May 2009 event. “You don’t need to end up dead, or in jail, or paralyzed.”
At a February 2009 vigil, Lane said “the violence has got to stop.”
Shackelford said Thursday night he was preparing a statement and that he was “at a loss for words.” Shackelford said he was no longer involved in the day-to-day operation of the Street Souljahz but that he knew Lane well.
TweetMan becomes city’s first fire fatality of the year
Staff photo by Teesha McClam
Staff photo by Teesha McClam
Staff photo by Teesha McClam
DAYTON — A man pronounced dead in his apartment inside a senior living facility became Dayton’s first fire fatality of the year, Dayton Fire Chief Herbert C. Redden said.
Fire and coroner officials were called to Grand Senior Living, 465 W. Grand Ave., by a fire alarm at 3:18 p.m. Inside the eighth-floor apartment, they found a small kitchen fire that had been extinguished by the sprinkler system and the deceased man whose clothes had caught fire, Redden said.
The man was pronounced dead inside the apartment, he said.
The man’s identity and age were not immediately available, but Redden described him as “elderly.”
It’s not clear what started the fire, Redden said, and investigators had not yet determined an official cause of death for the victim. The fire was contained to the kitchen area and the man’s clothing, and the man’s clothing was most damaged, he said.
Watch video from the scene from WHIO-TV
TweetMan hit, robbed at car lot in east Dayton
DAYTON - Robbery squad detectives are patrolling streets in east Dayton near Third and Beckel streets after a man reported he was robbed by two men at gunpoint just after 1:30 p.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 21.
Police are looking for two men, one wearing a maroon sweatshirt and another that had a hood over his face that allegedly robbed and assaulted a man at the Auto Connection car lot, police said.
Medics were called to the scene and were treating the victim for a head injury, police said. It does not appear the victim was shot, but suffered significant head injuries, police said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetDayton bomb squad called to Huber Heights
HUBER HEIGHTS - Member of the Dayton Police Department’s bomb squad have been called to a house at 5234 Pitcairn this afternoon, Jan. 21, on report of a suspicious package in a mailbox.
Huber Heights Police Officer Mark Bruns confirmed the squad was out there, but had little other details. He said crews responded to the address about 12:30 p.m. and are still on the scene investigating.
Medics are on the scene as a precaution, police.
Stay with DaytonDailyNews.com for more information on this story.
Tweet$32,000 in cash reportedly stolen from man’s home
DAYTON - Burglary squad detectives are looking for at least one burglar who broke into an elderly man’s home Tuesday, Jan. 19, and allegedly walked away with $32,000 in cash.
George Hicks told officers he owns a local laundromat and had $2,000 in rolled dimes and another $30,000 in bills between his mattress that was missing, according to a police report.
Hicks said he returned home in the 2500 block of East Fifth Street about 6 p.m. and noticed a glass door had been broken out and someone had been in his home, the report stated.
He checked around his home and noticed the money, including bills kept in a manila envelope between his mattress, was missing, the report stated.
Hicks said the money was in a locked bedroom of the home. The man’s neighbors said they heard nor saw anything out of the ordinary while Hicks was gone.
There are no suspects at this time, police said. Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetPolice searched county commissioner’s home for fugitive son
VANDALIA - Authorities from three police agencies are looking for the adult son of Montgomery County Commissioner Judy Dodge and searched her home last week after the fugitive evaded an officer who saw him there.
A Vandalia police sergeant arrived at Dodge’s home, 397 Farrell Road, on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 14, to serve multiple felony warrants and arrest Michael E. Dodge, 32. As the sergeant arrived, he noticed Michael Dodge retrieved some mail and then “hurried” back into the house after spotting the police cruiser, according to a police report.
Michael Dodge is wanted by Beavercreek police for felony grand theft, forgery and receiving stolen property charges related to theft and receiving stolen property charges filed in Fairborn Municipal Court in 2004, according to police and court records.
He is also wanted by Vandalia police for failure to appear in court on a traffic violation and by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on a felony probation violation related to a 2004 conviction, according to court records.
In the Jan. 14 incident, Vandalia police said Judy Dodge came out of her house and asked why the sergeant was there, the report stated. She went back inside, looked for her son and came back out to tell the sergeant that Michael Dodge was not there.
Dodge, according to the report, said her son might have fled from the rear of the house and the sergeant said he noticed fresh footprints in the snow that stopped at a paved street.
After a brief search that involved a sheriff’s K-9 unit, police also searched Dodge’s home and warned the commissioner that Michael Dodge was not allowed to stay there and she would be breaking the law by allowing him, the report stated.
Judy Dodge did give police a phone number and an officer did talk with her son by phone, the report stated. Michael Dodge said he would come back home “shortly” but never returned, the report stated.
Police do not suspect that Judy Dodge helped her son escape, Vandalia police Lt. Harry Busse said Wednesday, Jan. 20.
When reached by phone Wednesday, Judy Dodge said she had no idea her son was wanted by police. She then released the following statement, via fax:
“My adult son has had problems in the past, however, it has always been my understanding that he had completed his legal obligations. He does not live with me, he was simply visiting over the holidays. I have not seen him since last Thursday. My son should be held accountable for his actions.”
Busse said there is no way to know if Michael Dodge was living at his mother’s house and there was no evidence that indicates he is.
“I believe at the time Ms. Dodge indicated her son was visiting from Florida for the holidays,” Busse said.
Court records dating back to 2004 show that Michael Dodge claimed his mother’s address as his place of residence. He remains at large and police are asking anyone who knows his whereabouts to call (937) 225-STOP.
Michael Dodge did not return a phone message seeking comment for this story.
TweetSuspended Miami Twp. officer knocked man unconscious, officers say
MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County - Three Miami Twp. police officers said they watched as fellow officer Thomas Seifert knocked a handcuffed man unconscious outside a restaurant in August.
The officers, including Sgt. Scott Fitzgerald said they were called to Milano’s restaurant, 9572 Springboro Pike, about 10 p.m. on Aug. 6 after witnesses reported Jeffrey Lykins was intoxicated and causing problems, according to documented statements the officers made to investigators.
Lykins had to be pepper sprayed after not cooperating with the officers and began to spit as a result of being sprayed, the officers said. At one point Lykins spit on Seifert’s arm, Seifert told an investigator with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Seifert, 39 and a 14-year veteran, then said to Lykins, “Do that again and see what happens,” he told investigators. The officers on the scene said Lykins then turned to spit in Seifert’s direction and as he did, Seifert kneed him in the side of the head between his ear and shoulder.
The blow forced Lykin’s head to smash into the pavement, causing him to bleed and he was knocked unconscious, Fitzgerald and the officers said.
Fitzgerald said he pulled Seifert off Lykins and called for paramedics. Lykins was unconscious for about five minutes and had to be transported to a local hospital, the officers said.
The officers on the scene said they were planning to issue Lykins a citation for public intoxication, take him home and move on before he started to resist.
Seifert wrote in his report that Lykins was unconscious from drinking and not his knee strike, according to the investigator’s report. Seifert also wrote in his incident report Lykins received the head injuries after falling down while officers were trying to detain him.
The other officers said Seifert’s report was not accurate and Lykins received most of his injuries from the officer’s knee strike.
Sheriff’s investigator, Det. William T. Ables, wrote in his report Seifert’s actions were “inconsistent” with Miami Twp. Police Department policy and he violated five general orders, which included: conduct unbecoming of an officer, treatment of persons in custody, use of force, departmental reports and information and truthfulness.
Seifert is on paid administrative leave and has been since August, Miami Twp. Police Chief John Krug said. Seifert was charged by Miami Twp. police with misdemeanor assault, according to Miamisburg Municipal Court records.
A jury trial has been scheduled for Feb. 25.
Krug said he asked independent agencies to investigate Seifert’s alleged actions because other officers witnessed them and could testify in court.
Seifert is still receiving his paycheck per the police union’s contract and is awaiting a pre-disciplinary hearing Krug said. That hearing has not been scheduled, but must take place before township trustees can decide his employment status, Krug said.
Lykins was later released from the hospital and recovered from his injuries, police said.
TweetMan dies nearly two months after being beaten
DAYTON - Dayton homicide detectives are now working up murder charges against a man in jail for his involvement in the beating death of David Chancellor, police Sgt. Gary White said.
Chancellor, 59, died Friday, Jan. 15, nearly two months after suffering significant brain injuries he sustained during a beating in late November, police said.
Clarence Washington, 22, was arrested days after the beating and a grand jury indicted him on aggravated burglary, robbery and felony assault charges, according to court records. He is in jail on $100,000 bond.
Coroner’s reports and medical records must now be gathered by detectives and the case resubmitted to a grand jury, White said.
The alleged robbery/beating occurred on Basswood Avenue just north of downtown Dayton in an apartment building both Washington and Chancellor lived in, police said. Chancellor’s condition worsened shortly after the beating and he slipped into a coma, White said.
He never regained consciousness and was moved from Miami Valley Hospital to another medical care facility, where he died, White said.
That makes Chancellor the city’s 43rd homicide victim in 2009. You can check the status of all homicides since 2008 by clicking here.
TweetMiami Twp. officer charged with assaulting man while on duty
MIAMI TWP., Montgomery County - A Miami Township police officer on paid administrative leave since August has been charged with misdemeanor assault in Miamisburg Municipal Court.
Thomas Seifert, 39, is awaiting a jury trial and an administrative hearing after Chief John Krug asked the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to investigate allegations the officer physically assaulted a handcuffed man in August while on duty, according to court records and investigators.
“I cannot release any more details about the ongoing investigation other than there is one,” Krug said.
Krug’s department was working to fulfill a public records request made early Tuesday afternoon of the police incident reports that led to Seifert’s suspension.
Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Nolan confirmed his detectives investigated Seifert’s actions and found “criminal wrongdoing.” The matter was referred back to Krug’s department, and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office brought the criminal charges in early January, according to court records.
A jury trial has been set in the case for Feb. 25.
Krug said he asked independent agencies to investigate Seifert’s alleged actions because other officers witnessed them and could testify in court.
Seifert, who lives in Miamisburg, has received his normal paycheck for the last five months while the criminal investigation was conducted, per the police union’s contract with the township, Krug said.
“There are two investigations here, a criminal investigation and an administrative investigation,” he said. “The criminal investigation gets priority over the administrative, and now that we have charges, a pre-disciplinary hearing will likely be held within the next week.”
Township trustees will then be presented with the results of that hearing and decide Seifert’s employment status.
Seifert is not in jail on the charge and his attorney was not available for comment this afternoon,
Tweet20-year-old homicide suspect has been arrested 23 times
DAYTON - The 20-year-old man city homicide detectives arrested Thursday, Jan. 14, in the killing of a Vietnam War veteran has been arrested 23 times by police.
Jesse Metcalf is in the Montgomery County Jail on a felony murder charge related to the shooting death of Daniel Johnson Jr., 58, who was killed inside his northeast Dayton home Tuesday.
Detective Sgt. Gary White said an outraged community, along with Metcalf’s family and friends, helped in Metcalf’s arrest because they were “disgusted” that a Vietnam veteran had been “senselessly” killed.
Johnson was found dead in his bedroom at 23 N. Monmouth with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. It appears he was killed during a robbery because items, including a television, were missing from his bedroom, police said.
While being led to jail, Metcalf said he “knew of” Johnson, but did not know him that well. Metcalf said he did not kill Johnson and did not know who did.
Police reports show Metcalf is a career criminal, despite his young age, with an addiction to heroin and crack that has led to numerous run-ins with police.
He has an open case in county common pleas court after being charged with felony assault on a police officer. The charge is related to an incident on Oct. 5 when officers stopped Metcalf near his home in the 2600 block of East Second Street, according to a police report.
Officers said Metcalf was under the influence of drugs when he tried to escape arrest and had to be Tasered at least five times before allowing officers to put handcuffs on him, the report stated.
An officer wrote Metcalf was stopped after driving a motorcycle erratically near his home, the report stated. Metcalf, whose license is suspended, tried to flee when an officer found what was later to be determined as heroin in his pants, the report stated.
Metcalf resisted arrest and was Tasered numerous times, but only surrendered when additional officers arrived, the report stated.
It is unclear why Metcalf was released from jail on that charge. Investigators and an official from the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s office did not return emails or calls seeking comment.
Other reports show Metcalf has been arrested at least 11 times since he turned 18 in 2007 on charges related to misdemeanor theft, domestic violence and felony armed robbery.
Jail records show in 10 of those arrests, Metcalf faced 32 charges — mostly misdemeanors — with 24 of those being cleared by police or by the courts.
In October, and a day after Metcalf was Tasered by police, Dayton Municipal Court Judge Deirdre E. Logan accepted his guilty plea for driving without a license in June.
Metcalf was originally arrested then for driving on a suspended license for at least the third time and operating a vehicle under the influence. It was his third driving under suspension arrest in less than two years, according to court records.
Logan sentenced Metcalf to 180 days in jail on Oct. 6, but suspended 166 days of the sentence and Metcalf was given credit for 14 days of time served, according to court records.
In December Metcalf was arrested again on domestic violence and assault charges, court records show. That case is still open in municipal court.
Metcalf was expected to appear in court Friday, Jan. 15, at 1:30 p.m. on the murder charge, according to jail records.
TweetSheriff’s deputy on leave, man arrested for alleged sexual contact with boy
WEST CARROLLTON - A Montgomery County Sheriff’s sergeant has been placed on medical leave and a West Carrollton man arrested after a 17-year-old boy said he had separate sexual encounters with the men after meeting them on the Internet.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it is investigating accusations of alleged sexual misconduct between the boy and the sergeant with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Warren County Chief Deputy John Newsom declined further comment, citing an open investigation.
The sergeant, who has not been charged with anything, was placed on sick leave shortly after officials were made aware of the allegations, investigators said. Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said he is waiting for Warren County’s criminal investigation to wrap up before conducting his own internal investigation.
Plummer said Warren County is handling the investigation in the sergeant’s case because the alleged sexual encounter occurred in that county.
Meanwhile, Plummer’s deputies arrested Kevin E. Hetzer, 49, about 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14. and searched his home at 149 Savoy Ave. hours earlier. The boy said he had sex with Hetzer at his home after meeting him through the Web site craigslist.com, Chief Deputy Mike Nolan said.
Deputies seized computers, paperwork and items in a brown bag from Hetzer’s home, but Nolan would not say what was contained in or on the seized items.
Hetzer was booked into the jail on three felony charges that included unlawful sexual contact, pandering obscenity and pandering sexually-oriented material, according to jail records.
Nolan said the boy, who said he started having sex with adult men at age 15, is being treated for a drug addiction in Warren County and told a counselor there about the sexual encounters.
Authorities believe the boy had numerous other sexual encounters with men in Warren and Montgomery counties and are looking at potential suspects, Nolan said.
Plummer said Hetzer has his own business that organizes youth trips for local churches, schools and youth organizations. Plummer wants to talk with any of those organizations that might have done business with Hetzer.
Plummer said he is also hoping any other minors, if any, who might have had sexual encounters with the sergeant or Hetzer come forward.
Anyone who has information related to Hetzer’s arrest is urged to call (937) 225-STOP.
TweetAssault case against former police officer dismissed
DAYTON - The abduction and assault charges filed against a former Columbus police officer have been dismissed without prejudice by a Montgomery County common pleas judge.
Joshua Gearhart does not face any charges at this time related to the alleged abduction and assault of his former girlfriend in November.
A motion filed on Jan. 5. states an application filed by the prosecuting attorney and good cause shown was the reason for the dismissal, according to court documents. Though the case was dismissed, a grand jury is expected to hear the case at some point, prosecutor’s office spokesman Greg Flannagan said.
Gearhart, 27, was an auxiliary police officer with the Whitehall Police Department when he was spotted near Leona Lane and Ohio 725 about 6 a.m. after witnesses reported a woman soaking wet and covered in mud in grass clippings was standing in the road, Maj. Scott Landis said.
The woman said Gearhart drove from near Columbus and the two went out, Landis said. At some point, Gearhart requested she “do something for him,” and made threats that he would harm her if she didn’t, Landis said.
An argument ensued and the woman grabbed the keys from Gearhart’s truck and fled on foot, Landis said. Gearhart caught up with her, tried to drag her back to his truck and the two wrestled in a ditch full of water, Landis said.
County prosecutors approved a felony abduction charge against Gearhart, but he was never indicted by a grand jury.
Gearhart’s attorney said after the incident his client was wrongly accused and his ex-girlfriend wanted the charges dropped.
TweetVietnam Vet was shot in head inside his bedroom
DAYTON - A Vietnam War veteran found dead in his northeast Dayton home was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
Daniel R. Johnson Jr.’s death has been ruled a homicide as detectives are still trying to answer questions surrounding his death that occurred early Tuesday morning, Jan. 12. It appears someone robbed Johnson, 58, inside his bedroom at 23 N. Monmouth St. because a television was missing from the room, police said.
Johnson was killed inside his bedroom, police said. A bullet was found in the bedroom, investigators said. There are no suspects at this time.
The home where Johnson was killed is a “rooming house” that harbors a group of military veterans who have separate bedrooms with common areas inside the home, investigators said.
Detectives are trying to get in touch with all those living inside the home to determine if anyone heard a gunshot before a roommate found Johnson dead about 8:30 a.m.
A man who claimed to know the victim called 911 about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and said his friend was not breathing, according to 911 audio released by police.
That same man, investigators said, noticed Johnson on the floor in his room about 4 a.m. but thought he was just sleeping. He returned hours later and found Johnson dead.
Sgt. Gary White said a few people inside the home said they heard some loud noises and movement coming from Johnson’s room, but did not investigate.
Jeanie Blankenship said the victim was her friend, was well liked in the neighborhood, but often hung around prostitutes and people who took advantage of him.
“He had a major alcohol addiction but he was a nice guy who treated people well,” Blankenship said. “He would let people stay there if they needed and use his shower. He even fed them. It’s just a real shame he’s dead.”
Johnson is the city’s third homicide victim this year. You can check the status of all homicides since 2008 by clicking here.
TweetMedic reports multi-car accident in Trotwood
TROTWOOD- Emergency vehicles are responding to the intersection of Salem Avenue and Turner Roads about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12 on reports of a multi-car accident.
First reports were a medic was involved in the accident, but turned out those inside witnessed the accident, police said.
It is unclear if anyone was injured the crash, though there were at least two vehicles involved, according to police scanner traffic. Additional medics and Trotwood police officers were responding to the, according to county dispatchers.
TweetAlleged shooter of two teens turns himself in
DAYTON - The man who police said shot two teenagers as they sat in the front of a Chevy sedan has turned himself in.
Rondell Donlow, 42, turned himself in at the Dayton Police Department’s downtown headquarters about 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, according to police and jail records.
It was Donlow, police said, that shot Dorian Frazier, 19, and a 17-year-old boy from the back seat of the car as traveled in the 300 block of Lorenz Avenue last week.
Residents in the area saw said they noticed a man matching Donlow’s appearance flee from the car after it crashed into some parked vehicles. Police said Donlow is suspected of firing shots during a drug deal that went bad.
Homicide detectives were called to the scene, but both victims survived the shooting. The 17-year-old remains in critical condition at Miami Valley Hospital with a gunshot wound to the back. Frazier’s head wound was treated by doctors and he is expected to be OK.
TweetCoroner’s office releases name of homicide victim found in house
DAYTON - Detectives are investigating the homicide of a Vietnam veteran found dead in a home on the city’s northeast side Tuesday morning, Jan. 12, after an apparent robbery.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office late Tuesday afternoon identified the victim as Daniel Johnson Jr., 58.
Police responded to 23 N. Monmouth St. about 8:30 a.m. on the report of a person inside not breathing and found the white man dead inside, police said.
It appears the man was beaten about the head, investigators said. There are no suspects in his death.
“He suffered a head injury and it doesn’t appear the injury was accidental,” Dayton Sgt. Gary White said. “We will need to wait for the coroner’s official ruling, but right now we are considering it a homicide.”
White said the home where the body was found is a “rooming house” with separate rooms that contain as many as five people. All those renting rooms are military service veterans, neighbors said.
A man who claimed to the know the victim called 911 about 8:30 a.m. and said his friend was “stiff as a board” and not breathing, according to 911 audio released by police.
The 911 caller lives at the house, White said, but left for work before police arrived. Detectives are trying to locate him in hopes of garnering more details about his roommate’s death.
A few people inside the home said they heard some loud noises and movement coming from the victim’s room, but did not investigate, White said. It appears the victim was killed inside his bedroom and some items, including a television, were missing from the home, police and friends said.
Detectives said they were hoping an autopsy would help them determine how long the man had been dead before being found by his friend. White said authorities are having trouble locating any of the victim’s family and hope those who knew him can help.
Jeanie Blankenship said the victim was her friend, was well liked in the neighborhood, but often hung around prostitutes and people who took advantage of him.
“He had a major alcohol addiction but he was a nice guy who treated people well,” Blankenship said. “He would let people stay there if they needed and use his shower. He even fed them. It’s just a real shame he’s dead.”
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call (937) 333-COPS.
Stay with DaytonDailyNews.com for more information on this story.
TweetFire crews responding to person trapped in burning house
DAYTON - Fire crews have extinguished a house on the city’s northeast side that was reportedly on fire with at least one person trapped inside.
Medics were called to the scene at Kiser Street and Protzman Avenue about noon, Tuesday, Dec. 12.
There were no injuries but a man who was inside the house was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Debra Comer, owner of the house, said she returned home after receiving a call from a neighbor that her house was on fire. Her 3-year-old grandchild got a hold of a lighter and accidentally lit something on fire, Comer said.
There is significant damage to the second story of the house. Firefighers had the fire out within a matter of minutes of responding to the scene.
TweetWoman walks into gas station, creates bizarre scene
DAYTON - Police on the city’s northeast side are looking for a woman who walked into a Shell gas station and urinated on the floor in front of the cash register.
Officers responded about 11:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 11, to 3406 E. Third St. where employees there said a woman walked into the store 10 minutes before and asked to use the restroom, the report stated.
When told there was no public restroom at the business, employees said the woman dropped her pants and urinated in front of the cash register, the report stated.
Employees said the woman then jumped into a 2001 or similar model Ford van that looked like it was used for business purposes, the report stated.
One employee, who was mopping up in front of the registers as police investigated, said he would recognize the woman if he saw her again.
Anyone with information about the incident should call 333-COPS.
TweetOfficers ordered not to ask for immigration status
DAYTON - City police officers are now prohibited from asking the immigration status of a witness or victim of a crime in hopes it eases fears some ethnic groups have of law enforcement.
Police Chief Richard Biehl issued the executive order to his nearly 390 officers on Dec. 30 telling them, “Citizens must feel free to call for police services without fear of undue repercussions.”
Biehl’s order, aimed mostly at the Latino community, goes on to say a “Police presence within the entire community is extremely important to engender a feeling of safety and trust…”
The order is being cheered by the city’s Hispanic community, whose leaders have said many victims of crimes who can’t provide documented citizenship don’t report incidents to police because they fear being arrested or even deported.
“Reporting crimes helps everyone in the community and Chief Biehl wants to stop crime in the city,” said Sister Maria Stacy, director of the local Hispanic Catholic Ministry. “When victims are willing to report it, crime can be decreased.”
Biehl said he was made aware of issues some ethnic groups in the city, most notably the Latino population, had with his department and its policing practices.
“After talking with my command staff I realized that it is something we needed to study more and since it was such a lightning rod issue, to see if there were going to be any federal measures taken,” he said.
One issue in particular, arose nearly three years ago, Stacy said, when some in the Latino community felt officers were frequently making traffic stops and issuing tickets to Hispanics.
“Some people became very hesitant of the police and started to not report things because their experience was they would get into trouble,” Stacy said.
Dayton police union president Randy Beane disagrees with Biehl’s order, saying it circumvents federal law officers are asked to follow regarding illegal immigrants. Beane said some officers disagree with Biehl’s order so strongly they said they are willing to disobey it.
“We believe that anyone in this country should be legal or in the process of becoming legal,” Beane said. “In this age of terrorism it is our duty to make sure someone is legally living in this country.”
But Biehl maintains the directive, which is modeled after a recommendation from an organization of police chiefs from the country’s largest cities, actually helps his officers better police the community and seek out any terrorist element.
“We must protect this community and in doing so make sure all citizens, documented or undocumented, who are victims or witnesses to a crime feel they can talk to police,” Biehl said. “It is our duty to protect and serve everyone within the city limits.”
Community leaders estimate there are between 20,000 and 30,000 Latinos living in the city, concentrated mostly on the city’s east side. Dave Larson, a local immigration attorney said there could be between 5,000 to 10,000 undocumented Latinos in the city, “But that is merely a guess.”
Activists in the Latino community and law enforcement officials are eagerly awaiting new U.S. Census Bureau data that should provide a more accurate number of Latinos living in the city.
Stacy and other Latino leaders said they aren’t aware of any other local police departments issuing such an order because there isn’t enough of a population to warrant a directive.
The economy has inhibited, if not reversed, any population growth in the Latino community in the area, Stacy said.
As for any changes to policy or police practices, Biehl said he was not sure what, if any, would be implemented. But Biehl said he does not want his officers determining if a victim or witness to a crime is a legal citizen or even asking questions related to someone’s immigration status.
He added those who feel undocumented immigrants are not privy to services provided by taxpayers are “wrong-headed.”
TweetArgument leads to gunshot victim, leaves cops puzzled
DAYTON - Police on the city’s northeast side are trying to find the gunman who knocked on a door in the 3700 block of Southshore Drive and shot a man inside his home.
Officers arrived at the home about 8:40 p.m. Friday, Jan. 8, and found Willie Purifoy, 49, had been shot in his leg, according to a police report.
Purifoy refused, at first, to talk with police about the incident, though a woman inside said a man who identified himself as “Smoke” knocked on the door, had a verbal confrontation with those inside and fired one shot, the report stated.
But officers started getting different stories from the two witnesses and Purifoy, who said “Smoke” was trying to shoot a woman inside the home and he got in the middle of the altercation, the report stated.
Neighbors said they didn’t hear anything, though one neighbor said a man was seen leaving the house before police arrived, the report stated.
Purifoy was treated for a non-life threatening gunshot wound at Miami Valley Hospital and was released.
Purifoy was reported as the seventh person shot in the city in the first eight days of the new year. There have been two homicides in the city this year. Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetNo arrests made in shooting of two people inside car
DAYTON - Police are still looking for the gunman who shot and seriously wounded two men in front seat of a Chevy car during an apparent robbery Thursday, Jan. 7.
The gunman fired at least two shots from the backseat of the car as it traveled south in the 300 block Lorenz Avenue about 1 p.m.
Residents in the area saw a man believed to be the gunman run from the car and responded to help the injured men.
Medics arrived and transported Dorian Frazier, 19, and a 17-year-old boy to Miami Valley Hospital, one with a gunshot wound to the back and the other victim was shot in the face, police said.
Both men are expected to recover from their wounds, but have not cooperated with the police investigation into the shooting.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to 333-COPS.
TweetHuber Heights man accused of molesting boy
HUBER HEIGHTS - A Montgomery County grand jury has indicted a 55-year-old man after a police investigation into allegations that he repeatedly molested a boy he knew for several years.
Keith D. Hauptstueck is in jail on $200,000 bond and faces five felony charges, including two rape charges, for molesting a child under the age of 13, according to jail and court records.
Hauptstueck was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 5137 Pocono Drive by Huber Heights Police.
The boy, who authorities said is now older than 13, was interviewed by Huber Heights police some time late last year after allegations of sexual abuse were made by someone close to the boy.
Huber Heights police decided to open an investigation which led to the indictment, prosecutor’s office spokesman Greg Flannagan said.
Hauptstueck has no criminal history in Montgomery County, according to court and jail records. A court date has not been set in this case.
TweetPolice seeing increase of car break-ins, caution owners
DAYTON - Police on the city’s southeast side have seen an increase of car break-ins and caution owners to store valuable electronics out of sight or remove them from vehicles.
Over the last three weeks car break-ins have increased steadily in many southeast neighborhoods with many victims reporting thefts of GPS units, compact discs and bags left in their vehicles.
More than 10 car break-ins have been reported in east Dayton already this week with more than half happening in neighborhoods south of U.S. 35, according to police records.
Police data shows car break-ins in southeast Dayton neighborhoods went from about six a week in early December to 15 the week of Christmas.
Residents are encouraged to call 333-COPS or dial 911 if they notice anyone suspicious in their neighborhood.
TweetStore employees say robbers used code to case store
DAYTON - Police are looking for three men believed to have operated as a team and used coded language to rob a local convenience store in the Greenwich Village neighborhood Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Employees at Gz Smoke Shop, 2267 N. Gettysburg Ave., said a man came in about 5:30 p.m. and was talking on a cell phone while trying to buy items, according to a police report.
When the cash register opened to give the man change, he uttered into his cell phone “This would be a good time for some hot chocolate,” and “they the did have any hot chocolate at the store,” the report stated.
As the man said that two men came in, armed with pistols and demanded cash. They managed to get nearly $150 from the register and robbed both employees of their cash and wallets, the report stated.
The gunmen did not rob the person on the cell phone and all three left the store, the report stated.
The employees said it appeared the man on the cell phone was giving some kind of code to the person on the other end of the phone, the report stated.
The gunmen were dressed in all black, wore masks and had what appeared to be .22-caliber revolvers, the report stated. A K-9 unit was called in to help look for the suspects, but the dog lost their scents outside the store, the report stated.
The items brought to the counter by the man on the cell phone were dusted for fingerprints. The store did not have an alarm and a video camera inside was broken, the report stated.
Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call 333-COPS.
TweetDetectives talking to witness, but no arrests in double homicide
DAYTON - Homicide detectives are examining evidence inside the home to see if it can help them piece together what led to the shooting deaths of two people Wednesday, Jan. 6.
Carin White, 26, and Dewayne Johnson, 35, were shot multiples time and found dead at 4313 Genesee Ave. after White’s boyfriend called 911 and said, “My girl’s been shot,” investigators said.
After saying White had been shot, a 911 dispatcher asked the boyfriend if he knew who shot her, according to 911 audio released by police. The man responds by asking authorities to send help and then hangs up the phone.
White’s boyfriend is considered a witness at this time and homicide detectives are continuing to question him about items inside the home and what happened before they arrived, Sgt. Gary White said.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Officer ruled both White and Johnson’s homicides, a crucial decision in the homicide investigation, Lt. Patrick Welsh said.
White’s family made statements at the scene of the shooting to one television station that they knew who might have done the shooting and asked that person come forward and tell the truth.
White’s mother declined comment when reached Wednesday afternoon.
Welsh and Gary White said they don’t expect any arrests to be made today in the case.
There have been no police incident reports at that Genesee address in the last year, according to police records.
Carin White and Johnson are the city’s first two homicide victims this year.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2494 or lsullivan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
TweetTriple fatal fire ruled accidental; caused by burning cigarette
DAYTON - The Dayton Fire Department has officially ruled a fatal fire that claimed the lives of a mother and her two young children an accident caused by a burning cigarette.
Asst. Chief Michael Caudill released the ruling Wednesday, Jan. 6, nearly two months after flames ripped apart the duplex home at 2822 E. First St., killing Kennetha Gay and her two children Ken’Ron Treadwell, 3-months old, and 4-year-old Mirissa Gay
Authorities said Kennetha Gay fell asleep on a sofa while smoking a cigarette, woke up and at first rushed out of the house. A neighbor said Gay must have gone back in after her children, but she never made it upstairs and was found dead inside the home.
Firefighters responded to the home on Nov. 13 about 9 p.m. and found flames raging inside the structure.
A 10-year-old jumped off the front-porch roof to escape the flames and is expected to be OK, fire officials said. A 6-year-old child that walked out a back door was not injured.
Arson investigators said rumors that a fire was intentionally set were unfounded.
The home’s owner and landlord, Mark Pardue, said the home was a complete loss and had to be torn down. A family living in the other side of the home was displaced, but suffered no significant injuries.
TweetHopes grim missing woman is still alive
HARRISON Twp., Montgomery County - Hope is fading a 47-year-old woman missing since last week is still alive.
Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday, Jan. 5, searched a creek near the home of Linda M. Shockley on East Nottingham Road.
Shockley’s family reported her missing on Dec. 29, but said she had been missing since Christmas Day. They said Shockley had no warm clothes or identification on her and she might be off her medication, investigators said.
“We are going to expand our search and notify neighboring states,” Chief Deputy Mike Nolan said. “We are still hoping to find her, but we are also realistic since it has been a week.”
Temperatures have hovered near or below freezing in the week Shockley has been missing, with wind chills falling below zero degrees at night.
Nolan said Shockley is manic depressive and her family is hoping she is staying somewhere safe. She is described as a white female about 5-feet, 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing blue jeans, an orange sweater and beige boots. Anyone with information of her whereabouts should immediately call 225-STOP.
TweetOngoing racial dispute erupts into violence
DAYTON - A 40-year-old man who police said has been arrested numerous times for racially-related crimes now faces felony charges for allegedly trying to hit his neighbor with a shovel because he is black.
Kurt D. Riddlebarger is in Montgomery County Jail on felony ethnic intimidation and assault charges after police said nearly a six-month-long dispute escalated on Dec. 26 with him attacking his neighbor in the 200 block of Ashwood Avenue.
“Apparently this is an ongoing dispute that started in June over Mr. Riddlebarger’s issues with his neighbor’s race,” Lt. Patrick Welsh said.
Welsh said Riddlebarger uttered racial slurs while trying to strike his 51-year-old neighbor with a shovel. The male victim was able to flee unharmed and called police.
“The complainant has a protection order against Mr. Riddlebarger and we responded to the scene because he violated that order,” Welsh said.
Jail records show Riddlebarger has been arrested four times in the last six months on ethnic intimidation and/or menacing charges. All those arrests were related to the ongoing dispute with his neighbor, Welsh said.
Riddlebarger faces two to eight years in prison if convicted of the felonies, but first the case must go before a Montgomery County grand jury. A date for that hearing has not been set.
TweetVeteran shot running from bus stop robbery
DAYTON - A 66-year-old military veteran is recovering from a gunshot wound to the arm after he fled from two men who robbed him at gunpoint.
Officers responded to the 1600 block of Germantown Street Monday, Jan. 4, about 9 p.m. and found William M. Woods bleeding from his arm, according to a police report.
Woods said he was talking to someone on his cell phone at a bus stop near the DeSoto Bass apartments when he noticed two men approaching, the report stated. The men waited for Woods to get off the phone and then said “Give me everything you got,” the report stated.
Woods said he noticed both men had small pistols and said his military experience helped him determine they were real weapons, the report stated.
He handed the gunmen his backpack, which contained a book, his work uniform and a water bottle, the report stated. Woods, who works at the VA Medical Center, turned to run and heard two shots, the report stated.
A stinging sensation in his arm caused him to take off his coat and Woods noticed a gunshot wound in his arm, just above the elbow, the report stated.
Medics transported him to a local hospital where he was treated for the wound and released. Woods said he might be able to describe the gunmen if he saw them again, but did not have many details of their appearance.
Anyone with information about the shooting should call 333-COPS.
TweetOngoing domestic dispute leads to theft of man’s ashes
DAYTON - An ongoing domestic dispute that has involved police at least four times in the last three weeks took a bizarre turn with the theft of a man’s ashes Sunday, Jan. 3.
Officers responded to the 100 block of North Garland Avenue Sunday after Lacey Strader, 21, reported the father of her child, Michael Kincaid had taken off with their son and an urn containing her father’s ashes, according to a police report.
Strader said she woke up just before 10 a.m. after hearing some commotion in her kitchen and came out of her bedroom to find Kincaid in her home, the report stated.
The couple began to argue and Strader told Kincaid she was calling police, the report stated.
Strader said Kincaid grabbed an urn containing her father’s ashes and left, the report stated. She said Kincaid was also supposed to drop off their son, but left with the boy.
The child was later returned to Strader’s relatives, but not the urn, the report stated. It appears police are going to let a judge work out the ongoing dispute as the couple already had a court date scheduled for Jan. 14 to deal with another domestic violence issue, the report stated.
Strader was ordered into the city prosecutor’s office for a meeting on Wednesday, the report stated.
TweetCity’s homicides in 2009 tie for most of the decade
DAYTON - Last year’s homicide total was the highest of the decade and comes as the Dayton Police Department said its trying its best to curb gang violence and drug activity all while dwindling its force.
Forty-two people were slain in 2009, according to police data — the most since 2002, which also recorded 42 homicides, according to crime statistics compiled by the FBI.
The increase in homicides is troubling for police Chief Richard Biehl, who inherited a homicide rate of about 33 a year when he arrived from Cincinnati in early 2008.
There have been 79 homicides in the two years since his arrival.
It’s worth noting the FBI sometimes adjusts statistics reported by departments and doesn’t record self-defense homicides or officer-involved homicides, authorities said. It is possible the city’s homicides in 2009 could be slightly lower when the FBI releases its crime stats later this year.
And though numerous agencies have raised issues with the FBI’s stats over the years, they are the only measuring stick available to evaluate the country’s law enforcement agencies.
Dayton’s increase in homicides comes after Biehl orchestrated the implementation of a county-wide Community Initiative to Reduce Gun Violence program that targets gun violence among local gangs.
Law enforcement agencies began “calling in” suspected gang members currently on probation to deliver the message of swift punishment for any more crimes committed with a gun.
Those members were supposed to take that message back to their respective gang and spread it around.
It’s unclear if the message if the message is being received, though Biehl said gun violence has decreased for weeks after the gang members were called in.
Less than half of the homicides last year were gang related, according to DPD data, and there was one less gang-related homicide last year compared to 2008, Biehl said.
The motives or reasons behind the other homicides vary, though many were drug-related and a handful were committed out of domestic violence disputes.
An overwhelming majority of homicides have occurred in the city’s northwest neighborhoods, especially in the Five Oaks and Dayton View areas, which have been entrenched with gangs, prostitution and drug activity.
Just six of the city’s 42 homicides last year occurred on the city’s east side - though those areas saw increases in residential burglaries and armed robberies last year.
The challenge for Biehl and new Mayor Gary Leitzell will be doing more to bring down the homicide rate with less personnel. A record number of police and firefighters are set to walk out the door in the next two years because of retirement.
Biehl has said his department plans to be at 350 officers in the coming years, down from more than 390 it has now.
The chief is wrangling with the brain drain and is considering a complete overhaul of the department’s five districts, examining decades-old patrol practices and moving sergeants and lieutenants from the downtown headquarters to district offices.
He has to do all that while taking directives from city commissioners and Leitzell, who are doing their own wrangling of an estimated $20 million budget deficit.
“Everything is on the table,” Biehl said.
TweetKroger, Circle K among businesses robbed most in 2009
DAYTON - The Kroger Grocery Store on S. Smithville Road, the Circle K at 1918 E. Fifth St. and the Family Dollar at 440 N. James J. McGee Blvd. were businesses hit the most by robbers in 2009, according to Dayton Police Department data.
Those stores were reportedly robbed four times last year by both armed and unarmed suspects. A handful of stores were robbed at least three times last year including:
- Rite Aid pharmacy, 1431 Wayne Ave
- Sunoco gas station, 1502 Wayne Ave.
- Shell gas station, 1951 Stanley Ave.
- The Family Dollar Store, 2198 N. Gettysburg Ave.
- Rite Aid pharmacy, 2916 Linden Ave.
We didn’t cover every robbery last year, but one of the most notable occurred at the Kroger at 1024 S. Smithville Road in July.
One man was arrested and another escaped after they tried to rob the store, but instead were confronted by an an off-duty Dayton police officer, who fired a shot at one of the assailants, police said.
The officer, who was providing security for the store, fired a short after one of the gunmen jumped over the customer service counter and started to rob the cashier, police said.
The man who fled was identified and later arrested by police.
And more than half these businesses listed above are on the city’s east side, which also saw a marked uptick in residential burglaries last year.
TweetBeauty shop worker turns shotgun on would-be robber
DAYTON - A knife-wielding, would-be robber is in Montgomery County Jail after a beauty shop owner chased him from the store with a shotgun Saturday, Jan. 2.
Workers at the Hair Gold Beauty Supply, 4011 W. Third St., flagged down Officer Erica S. Cash about 2 p.m. by yelling, “Robber! Robber!,” according to a police report.
Cash raced up Gettysburg Avenue where she saw Lawrence Hahn running after William Chinn, the report stated. Cash caught up with Chinn, 19, who said he was “sorry” and wanted to apologize to Hahn and the shop’s owner Hae J. Kim for trying to rob their store, the report stated.
Kim said Chinn walked into the store with a red bandanna on his face and demanded money with a knife in his hand, the report stated. Kim said he grabbed a shotgun kept in the store and pointed it at Chinn, the report stated.
Chinn fled, but Kim and Hahn chased him and that’s when they flagged down the officer, the report stated.
Chinn said he needed money and was tired of his family supporting him, the report stated. He was scheduled to appear in court at 9:30 a.m. today, Monday, Jan. 4, according to jail records.
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