The Union County Grand Jury has indicted two men on unrelated charges of hurting deputies.
Cameron Robert Hastings, 31, 14000 Hinton Mill Road, Marysville, and Grant M. Sowers, 31, of Canal Winchester. Have both been charged with one count of obstructing official business.
Hastings’ indictment stems from a Nov. 20 incident. According to a release from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, at 4:03 p.m., deputies responded to a domestic dispute at the Hinton Mill Road home. Eventually the parties, a husband and wife, were successfully separated.
At 5:44 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office received another call from the wife claiming the husband, Hastings, was threatening to commit suicide.
Deputies returned to the scene and found Hastings under the influence of alcohol. They treated the situation as a mental health crisis and tried to convince Hastings to go to a medical facility for evaluation. The deputy and medical personnel at the scene determined Hastings was a danger to himself.
“Deputies informed Cameron of such matter and he stated, ‘The only way I’m leaving my house is by force.’” According to court documents, “after multiple attempts for a peaceful resolution, Cameron became agitated and forced the deputies to go hands on with Cameron. During the altercation, multiple deputies and Cameron went to the ground in a struggle.”
Deputy Kelly Nawman sustained a cut to her face and a bruise to the left eye, “while falling to the ground.”
Officials said that once Hastings was inside the cruiser, he used the interior cage to hurt himself.
According to the release, both Hastings and Nawman were taken to Memorial Hospital, where they were treated and released.
Hastings’ bond was set at $100,000 in Marysville Municipal Court. If convicted, Hastings could face as many as 12 months in prison.
Sowers’ indictment is the result of and alleged police chase Nov. 17.
According to reports, about 7:56 a.m., that day, deputies stopped a vehicle on U.S. 33, west of U.S. 42, near Beecher Gamble Road.
During the stop, a man, later identified as Sowers, apparently jumped from the window, ran into a field and hid. Officers from the Plain City and Marysville police departments along with the Ohio State Highway Patrol were called to the scene. Marysville brought and used an off road vehicle to search for the man. Additionally, the sheriff’s office brought a dog to the scene to help search. Eventually the man was located in a nearby wooded area. He was told that if he did not surrender, the police dog would be released.
Officials said Sowers had an arrest warrant from Fairfield County. He was released on a $5,000 bond. If convicted, he could face as many as 12 months in prison.
Also indicted was:
– William D. Likens, Jr., 60, of 402 Railroad St., Unionville Center and Tina Marie Brooks, 47, of 22958 Connor Road, Milford Center. Both are charged with one count of illegal cultivation of marijuana.
According to court documents, on Sept. 10, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) was working with the Union County Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement (MADE) Task Force. BCI brought a helicopter to the area to search for marijuana.
Agents found and investigators confirmed plants growing on Likens’ property Brooks’ property.
If convicted, Likens could face as many as five years in prison while Brooks could face 18 months behind bars. Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said the two face different sentences, “based on the amount that was found at each location.” Likens is alleged to have had more than three times as much marijuana as Brooks.
– Julius Neal, 22, of 4665 Refugee Road, Apt. 3G, Columbus. Neal is charged with one count of receiving stolen property. According to court documents, between Aug. 18 and Nov. 22, Neal stole a temporary license plate belonging to a Union County man. If convicted, Neal could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Clinton Bernard Henry, 49, of 2356 Jefferson Ave., Columbus. Henry is charged with one count of possession of cocaine stemming from a Sept. 22 traffic stop. If convicted, Henry could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Melana Ann Todd, 32, of 176 Willow Dr., Marysville. Todd is charged with one count each of theft and passing bad checks. According to court documents, on March 13, Todd allegedly gave a check for $1,985 to a local man, knowing it would be dishonored. If convicted, Todd could face as many as 24 months in prison.