Waler shot 42-year-old Kenneth Haught early May 5 after Haught reportedly pointed an air rifle at police following a pursuit.
At 1:33 a.m., a 911 caller reported a road-rage incident.
Credit: Montgomery County Jail
Credit: Montgomery County Jail
The caller told the Huber Heights Communication Center the suspect shot out his driver side window and rammed the vehicle, according to dispatch records.
The caller was heading north on state Route 4 and told dispatch he was heading to the Shell gas station a 8007 state Route 235.
When officers arrived at the gas station, they saw the suspect vehicle leaving the parking lot. Police tried to stop the vehicle, but it fled south on state Route 235.
Police attempted a PIT maneuver (precision immobilization technique) on New Carlisle Park, but the suspect continued to flee.
Officers noted the suspect was throwing items from the vehicle as the pursuit continued.
The vehicle pulled into a grassy area near a house in the 9400 block of Taylorsville Road and Haught got out of the vehicle.
Cruiser camera footage showed him get exit the vehicle with a firearm and an officer can be heard ordering him to get on the ground.
“You can clearly see the suspect face the officers and raise a black AR 15-style rifle, pointing it directly at the officers,” Huber Heights police Chief Mark Lightner said previously. “The officer closest to the suspect opened fire and stuck the suspect, who turned and tried to flee with his rifle still in hand.”
Haught ran around a residence and dropped the weapon before he collapsed on a porch. Officers provided aid until medics arrived and transported Haught to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police identified the weapon as a DPMS full-auto SBR air rifle.
Waler was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, which is the department’s policy. Waler is a 19-year veteran.
A grand jury declined to indict Waler in an April 2023 shooting in Butler Twp. Waler shot Taevion Booker after police responded to the Days Inn on Miller Lane for a report of gunfire.
Haught was charged with felonious assault, failure to comply with the order/signal of a police officer, tampering with evidence, assault of a police officer and obstructing official business.
A sanity evaluation was ordered for Haught in June with a disposition scheduled for July 17. The disposition was rescheduled for Sept. 4, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
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