MANSFIELD — Law enforcement used justifiable force while exchanging gunshots with a Mount Gilead man in a March incident, according to the ruling of a Richland County Grand Jury.
Prosecutor Gary Bishop issued a press release Tuesday morning explaining the case and the grand jury decision.
Jeremy Reynolds, 31, of Mount Gilead, was charged with 14 felonies in the March 6 incident, including three counts of grand theft, kidnapping, robbery, tampering with evidence, and failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.
On July 24, Reynolds was sentenced to a 16-year prison term after a chase which spanned Richland and Ashland County and included gunshots and the theft of a police cruiser while holding a hostage.
Bishop said multiple law enforcement agencies, including Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. James Nicholson and Ontario Police Officer Sgt. John Mager, were determined to have used justifiable force by the Richland County Grand Jury.
According to Bishop, the incident began when an Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a reported stolen vehicle on Ohio 30, near Reed Road. The driver refused to stop and a pursuit followed. The pursuit continued through Mansfield and into Ontario, before turning back into Mansfield.
The pursuit turned again, this time heading westbound on Millsboro Road where the stolen vehicle which was being driven by Jeremy Reynolds, finally came to a stop on the southside of the roadway in a yard near the driveway of 2421 Millsboro Road, in Ontario, authorities stated. The driver remained in the vehicle as law enforcement made attempts to make contact with the vehicle’s occupants.
Officers from Ohio State Highway Patrol, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, as well Ontario Police Department were involved and continued to converge on the area, Bishop said.
As officers gave commands for Reynolds to exit this stolen vehicle, the vehicle resumed motion again, but this time getting stuck in the yard of a residence located at 2451 Millsboro Road.
Approximately 10 minutes into the stand-off, a gunshot coming from within the SUV was heard. Reynolds continued to refuse to exit the vehicle but after 32 minutes, he got out with another occupant while holding her around the neck and used her as a hostage and/or shield, Bishop stated.
As Reynolds began moving on foot, he continued to have his left arm around the occupant’s neck, keeping her between law enforcement and himself while also holding another object in his right hand that resembled a handgun.
After Reynolds and his hostage exited the stolen vehicle, the vehicle started smoking heavily and eventually became fully engulfed in flames, authorities stated.
Reynolds continued his movements westward on Millsboro Road. Law enforcement officers at the scene continue to parallel Reynolds’ movements trying to keep him from the residences but recognized that Reynolds was moving towards two unoccupied police cruisers that were parked in the roadway blocking traffic.
A hostage negotiator was utilized in an attempt to free the female and have Reynolds surrender. These attempts were not successful, Bishop said.
As Reynolds approached the cruisers, a shot was fired by law enforcement, striking Reynolds in the leg. Reynolds initially stumbled but never relinquished control of the female. He made his way into the police cruiser with the female and attempted to flee when another shot was fired by law enforcement, the Prosecutor stated.
Reynolds fled the Millsboro Road scene in the stolen police cruiser heading towards Ashland County. Along the way, Reynolds abandoned the police cruiser and female, and forcibly stole another vehicle. Eventually Reynolds was captured in Ashland County, Bishop said.
Reynolds was transported for medical treatment, deemed not to have received life-threatening injuries, and was released into the custody of law enforcement.
