News 22 Jul 2025
6 Jul 2025 Deputy Groves spoke with a subject reporting Julie Hess beat her dog with a bat on 2 Jul 2025. Deputy Gove responded to Pike Street to the parking lot Hess had parked a camper that she was living in. Another individual witnessed Hess hit the dog in the head, however Hess was not available at the time to meet with the officer. There did not appear to be any marks or injuries to the dog. 14 Jul 2025 Deputy Groves met with Hess. Hess did not remember the incident. Hess stated she had been repeatedly attacked by the dog and struck it in self-defense. A summons is being requested for Hess on a charge of torturing an animal, deprive one of necessary sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill, or impound or confine an animal without supplying it during such confinement with a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food and water.
8 Jul 2025 Deputy Groves received a message concerning dogs running loose in Lower Salem. The dogs are reported to belong to Renee Luke. The dogs had been contained, however the caller wanted the dogs picked up. Deputy Groves responded and spoke with the caller, who reported the dogs are a problem, getting into trash in the neighborhood. The dog, a brown female pit, was transported to the Humane Society where it will be held for pick up. Deputy Groves met with Luke and advised her she would be charged with failure to restrain. A summons is being requested for Renee L. Luke, 309 Main Street, Lower Salem, OH, on a charge of failure to restrain.
8 Jul 2025 Sgt. Augenstein responded to Dollar General, Dunham Township to a report of a shoplifter. Approximately $42 in merchandise was stolen from the store. This case remains under investigation.
9 Jul 2025 Deputy Tucker conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle bearing OH registration near the 6 mile marker of I77 southbound. The driver and passenger were contacted and asked if there was anything in the vehicle Deputy Tucker should be concerned with. One subject replied that there was a joint and the other subject stated they were on vacation, traveling south. Consent to search was obtained and K9 Ozna was deployed for a free air sniff. After K9 Ozna returned a positive indication a search of the vehicle was conducted. Drugs were located and will be sent for testing and charges are pending the results.
9 Jul 2025 Deputy Wallace conducted an initial investigation into a dog biting a subject in Newport Township. This information will be forwarded to the Dog Warden for follow up.
