His trial on 10 charges stemming from a 2018 incident near Interstate 75 that drew multiple law enforcement agencies is now set to begin Aug. 19, records show.
Ashford, 19, initially had a plea of not guilty entered before it was changed to not guilty by reason of insanity.
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After two evaluations, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Barbara Gorman ruled Ashford sane and competent to stand trial.
Ashford, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, is being tried as adult. He is charged with seven counts of aggravated robbery, one count of felonious assault on a police officer, discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, and impersonating a peace officer, records show.
Ashford was shot in the arm Feb. 5, 2018 by an off-duty Miami Twp. police officer after authorities said he was fleeing an armed robbery of a Miamisburg Shell Station. Authorities described the incident as a chaotic, life-threatening scene that drew several law enforcement agencies to the Ohio 725/I-75 interchange.
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Court records show Ashford fired a gun at police and claimed to be an undercover FBI agent. A grand jury cleared Officer James Swearingen of criminal charges and the Ohio attorney general’s office later recognized his actions by presenting him with the Distinguished Law Enforcement Valor Award.
Ashford was indicted on adult charges in July 2018 after his case was transferred from juvenile court by Judge Anthony Capizzi. The insanity plea was entered in January about two weeks before Ashford was initially set for trial.
All of the charges accuse the teen of using a gun. Ashford is being held in juvenile detention on a $500,000 bond.
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