• Indictment: A grandy jury indicted Thomas Harville on one count of inducing panic (school) in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
What was he accused of?
• School threats: On Oct. 20, Northridge Local Schools School Resource Officer Clint Ball received a tip from Stay Safe. Speak Up, a student safety reporting system.
“(The caller) indicated Thomas Harville was making statements about engaging in a school shooting,” a Vandalia Municipal Court affidavit read. “(The caller) knew Harville to be enrolled at Northridge Local Schools and believed the threat was intended for that school.”
• District closes: Northridge Local Schools closed the next day as Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies worked to find Harville.
Deputies arrested him shortly after midnight on Oct. 21.
• ‘Just joking’: During an interview, Harville admitted to the threat and told investigators he was “just joking,” according to court documents.
“Harville denies he specifically said it was toward Northridge High School,” an affidavit read.
• Dayton case: Harville was also charged with inducing panic and making false alarms in Dayton Municipal Court in September. Both charges were first-degree misdemeanors.
He was found guilty of inducing panic and the making false alarms charge was withdrawn, according to court records.
What happens next?
• Court hearing: Harville is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.
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