Deputy charged

A Pickaway County Sheriff's Deputy has been charged after dash-cam video showed that he got on top of a suspect, then punched the man, after a vehicle pursuit in April. 28-year-old Deputy Ryan Howard faces a misdemeanor charge of assault, along with falsification and dereliction of duty. Howard has been on administrative leave since May 4th. Howard was part of a chase that involved 32-year-old Michael Rowland of Circleville. Several agencies joined in the chase that ended when Rowland's vehicle crashed into a ditch on S-R 23 north of South Bloomfield. During the arrest, video showed Howard putting his knee on Rowland's back, then punching him. Pickaway County Sheriff Matthew Hafey says that in addition to the criminal charges filed, an internal investigation moving toward the eventual firing of Howard is still underway.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content