Highland County grand jury hands down 8 indictments; Sabina man charged in connection with April crash
A Highland County grand jury handed down eight indictments, including charges against a man accused of striking a Highland County Sheriff’s deputy head-on during an April crash, during their Aug. 4 session.
Blake C. Mallow, 21, of Sabina was charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, one third-degree and one fourth-degree felony; and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them, both first-degree misdemeanors.
It is alleged that on or about April 10-11, Mallow “did cause serious physical harm” to a victim “while operating or participating in the operation of” a truck. He is further accused of “knowingly operating any vehicle … while under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or alcohol and a drug of abuse, or a combination of them. The indictment alleges that Mallow “did knowingly operate any vehicle … and had a concentration of seventeen-hundredths of one percent or more by weight per volume of alcohol in [his] whole blood.”
As previously reported by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the initial investigation alleged that Mallow “traveled left of center and struck” a Highland County sheriff’s deputy head-on. Both Mallow and the deputy suffered “serious injuries” as a result of the crash, the OSHP reported.
Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss has filed an entry recusing himself from the case.
In other indictments:
• Virginia A. Beall, 49, of Hillsboro was charged with one count each of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine and aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both second-degree felonies.
Beall is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using,” and “knowingly preparing for shipment, shipping, transporting, delivering, preparing for distribution or distributing” meth in an amount equal to or exceeding five times bulk amount but less than 50 times bulk amount on or about June 13.
• Ian M. West, 28, of Greenfield was charged with one count of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility and one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, both third-degree felonies.
It is alleged that on or about June 27, West “did knowingly convey, or attempt to convey,” meth onto the grounds of the Greenfield jail. He is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using” meth in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount during the period of June 27-28.
• Jeffrey J. Dunaway, 35, of Bloomingburg was charged with having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony; and a forfeiture specification.
Dunaway is accused of “knowingly acquiring, having, carrying or using” a 9mm handgun on or about June 25. According to the indictment, Dunaway has “not been released from disability” due to a prior second-degree felony burglary charge. The handgun is subject to forfeiture due to its alleged “instrumentality in the commission or facilitation of the offense,” the indictment says.
• Jerry W. Harner Jr., 33, of Dayton was charged with failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.
It is alleged that on or about July 10, Harner “did operate a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from a police officer to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop.”
As previously reported by the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, an HCSO deputy attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Harner in the Allensburg area. Harner “allegedly fled, and a pursuit ensued, with speeds reaching up to 100 mph,” including “passing other vehicles on a double yellow line” before Harner allegedly crashed into another vehicle in the Hillsboro city limits.
• Dustin Lee Pryor, 35, of Greenfield was indicted on eight counts, including two counts of strangulation or suffocation, both fourth-degree felonies; four counts of domestic violence, all first-degree misdemeanors; and two counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals, both first-degree misdemeanors.
The charges stem from three different dates in June. Pryor is accused of “knowingly causing or attempting to cause physical harm” to one victim on one date. For another victim, Pryor is accused of “knowingly causing or attempting to cause physical harm” on three different dates, including “by means of strangulation or suffocation” on one of those dates.
Pryor is further accused of “knowingly torturing, tormenting, needlessly mutilating or maiming, cruelly beating, poisoning, needlessly killing or committing an act of cruelty against a companion animal” on one of those dates.
• Brittany M. Akers, 38, of Sabina was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
• Tiffany R. Hobbs, 51, of Hillsboro was charged with one count of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
An indictment is merely a charge and not evidence of guilt.