No charges for 13 officers involved in shootout with man accused of ramming cruisers on US 35

More than a dozen law enforcement officers will not face charges for a shootout with a Florida man following a January high-speed chase on U.S. 35.

A Montgomery County grand jury declined to indict 12 men and a one woman, finding that they acted lawfully, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The 13 law enforcement officers are from the Trotwood Police Department, Dayton Police Department and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Trotwood police responded Jan. 8 to a report that a woman was hit by a pickup truck at Voyager Village mobile home community. While they were helping the woman, the suspect — 54-year-old James Michael Skirvin — drove past in his truck and reportedly pointed a long gun at officers.

Officers initiated a pursuit, with Dayton police and sheriff’s deputies also responding to assist.

During the chase, Skirvin shot at officers, according to the prosecutor’s office.

James Skirvin

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

At U.S. 35 and Liscum Drive, Skirvin drove across all the west and east lanes of U.S. 35, hitting a deputy’s cruiser head-on and landing on a Trotwood cruiser.

Seven Dayton officers, four Trotwood officers and two deputies fired their weapons. It’s not clear how many times Skirvin was shot.

Skirvin and the Trotwood officer who was in the cruiser were taken to Miami Valley Hospital. The officer, Michael Richardson, was seriously injured and has since been released from the hospital.

Skirvin was indicted six counts of felonious assault and one count each of vehicular assault, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and aggravated possession of drugs, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas records.

His trial is scheduled to start Jan. 6, 2025.

U.S. 35 was closed in Dayton Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, for a police investigation near Liscum Drive. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: Jim Noelker

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Credit: Jim Noelker

A man reportedly shot at officers before crossing U.S. 35 at Liscum Drive in Dayton to hit two cruisers during a felonious assault investigation in Montgomery County on Monday morning, Jan. 8, 2024. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: Jim Noelker

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Credit: Jim Noelker

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