News
Two Recent Cases Could Go To Grand Jury Tuesday
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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After a recent police pursuit and another lengthy investigation, two cases may be presented to an Athens County grand jury on Tuesday.
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said the case of Dedrick Peterson will be on the list of cases to be presented to grand jury when it convenes Tuesday. Jurors may also see the case of Matthew Arno, 27, of Glouster.
Arno is charged with one count of felonious assault stemming from a police pursuit Oct. 7 in which he was accused of shooting at Glouster police officers.
The pursuit ended when Arno allegedly ran into a Republic Avenue home brandishing a firearm and barricaded himself inside. He was talked into surrendering by Lt. Aaron Maynard of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team.
“All in all there were about seven officers that were in harm’s way,” said Glouster Police Chief Ryan Nagucki.
Nagucki declined to discuss any further charges that could be introduced in the case, but said that a counselor is being brought in to help debrief the officers that were involved in the incident.
A $250,000 cash/surety bond was set for Arno in Athens County Municipal Court on Oct. 8.
Peterson, 31, of Ann Arbor, Mich., is accused of rape and sexual battery in a felony complaint filed Oct. 7 in Athens County Common Pleas Court.
He was arrested in Michigan after investigators from the prosecutor’s office interviewed him, resulting in the charges and a warrant for his arrest.
It was alleged in the felony complaint that Peterson engaged in “sexual conduct” with a female on Forest Street in Athens on Homecoming Weekend 2013, “and the ability of (the victim) to resist or consent was substantially impaired,” according to the complaint.
The complaint did not, however, indicate the nature of the victim’s impairment.
Peterson was being held in the Washtenaw County Jail in Michigan, but was going to be transported to Athens County this week, according to previous Messenger reporting.