Man accused of shooting at off-duty Dayton officer’s car indicted

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Credit: JIM NOELKER

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

A man accused of chasing an off-duty Dayton police officer and firing a dozen shots at the officer’s personal vehicle was indicted on 10 charges.

Claude Wayne Chadwell, 56, is facing three counts each of felonious assault and having weapons under disability, two counts of receiving stolen property and one count each of tampering with evidence and discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.

On Nov. 10, an off-duty Dayton officer was in his vehicle with his son and son’s girlfriend near Ewalt and Dwight avenues when Chadwell began following closely behind in a truck, according to Dayton Municipal Court documents.

Claude Chadwell

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

At one point the truck pulled up next to the officer’s vehicle and a passenger in truck was reportedly screaming at the officer and reaching toward their waistband.

The officer then “produced his firearm in fear of his safety,” according to court records, and fled at a high speed.

“The truck driven by Chadwell began to chase [the officer] and fired approximately 12 shots at [the officer’s] vehicle,” the affidavit stated.

When police later found Chadwell and interview him, Chadwell reportedly said he shot at the officer’s vehicle because he thought they were people who had tried to break into his garage.

“Chadwell was not aware the at time [the officer] was a police officer,” according to court records. “When Chadwell was asked why he fired at the vehicle fleeing from him, he said because he was ‘pissed.’”

He is scheduled to be arraign in court on Dec. 8.

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