Piqua man jailed in attack; 65-year-old man’s injuries life-threatening, police say

Eric D. Root

Credit: MIAMI COUNTY JAIL

Credit: MIAMI COUNTY JAIL

Eric D. Root

A 39-year-old Piqua man is behind bars, accused of inflicting life-threatening injuries on a 65-year-old man.

Eric D. Root appeared Wednesday in Miami County Municipal Court, where a judge set bond at $100,000.

Around 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, police got a call about a man being assaulted and forced into a vehicle in the 1100 block of South Main Street in Piqua.

Police learned Root and the victim were in a trailer, where they also lived with Root’s girlfriend, in the 1700 block of South Main Street.

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Police forced entry into the trailer and arrested Root, who was jailed on suspicion of kidnapping, abduction and felonious assault.

The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital. The morning of the arrest, the victim left the trailer with a friend and was walking to the police department to report that he was not allowed to leave the trailer, but only made it a few blocks, police said.

Root, who remains held in the Miami County Jail, is next scheduled to appear Aug. 21 in court for a preliminary hearing.

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