An investigation by ABC6 reveals alleged negligence by Ashville PD and the dog warden in the events leading up to the deadly pit bull attack on Jo Ann Echelbarger. The investigation highlights police interactions and previous court orders involving the dogs and their owner. The attack occurred in October 2024.
Snow is falling across Central Ohio and more of it is likely this weekend. Brutally cold temps also are in the forecastAccording to documents, neither Ashville PD nor the dog warden removed injured pit bulls from the condo before the deadly attack later in October 2024.
of Jo Ann Echelbarger, a 73-year-old grandmother from Ashville, who was killed by her neighbor's pit bulls, Apollo and Echo in October of 2024. The incident has sparked aPickaway County SWAT and Ashville police executing a search warrant at the site where a dog killed a woman. ABC6 has investigated the incident and what led up to the deadly dog attack for more than a year. Last February, ABC6 exposed a police run to Echelbarger's condominium community weeks before her death. In that September 2024 run, Ashville police had called the dog warden to seize Apollo and Echo after they were found. Officers were looking to arrest dog owner Adam Withers on drug charges. Weeks prior to this incident, a Pickaway County judge had ordered both dogs be removed from Withers' home out of a previous civil lawsuit. In what some attorneys call the most gruesome dog attack in Ohio, the family of Jo Ann Echelbarger is expressing frustration with what they call negligence from the county and a lack of change. October 17, 2025 However, on-call deputy dog warden Wyatt Coleman refused to respond to the September run according to statements made by Ashville Police on their body worn camera videos and new documents obtained by ABC6. Officers ended up transporting Apollo back to his owner's condo by police car. { }Jo Ann Echelbarger, 73, died after she was attacked by two dogs while she was working in her flowerbeds at her home in Pickaway County, Ohio on Oct. 17, 2024. While Coleman is not facing any criminal charges in the case, ABC6 Investigates obtained his personnel file. File documents state Chief Dog Warden Preston Schumacher initiated an internal investigation into Coleman's action on February 14th of 2025. That was one day after ABC6 aired Lisa Rantala's investigation. Schumacher wrote he "did not become aware of Deputy Warden Coleman's failure to respond to the first two calls for assistance until Friday, February 14th." Schumacher stated he notified commissioners that same day. While this was five months after Echelbarger's death, Pickaway County placed Coleman on administrative leave February 20th and terminated him for neglect of duty, inefficiency and violation of policy on February 25th. "Your reporting was excellent on that," said Echelbarger family attorney Spencer Meador to ABC6 Investigator Lisa Rantala last October. "The timeline, when you look at the timeline, there are so many questions that are raised when you realize how preventable it was." Prior to his termination last year, Coleman's file lists more cases of discipline after he was hired as a deputy dog warden in October of 2020. Coleman received four written reprimands in four months in 2023 for texting on clock, using "very" offensive language, and failing to complete a required bite report when called out by the sheriff's office. When asked why he did not write the required bite report, Coleman said he did not think the bite actually occurred. The county also found Coleman was not using "sound judgement" on other aggressive dog calls which placed "everyone in danger." In August of 2023, which was just over one year before Echelbarger's death, Coleman served a three-day suspension for refusing to pick up two stray dogs when called by the sheriff's office. One of the strays had been hit by a car and was deceased. The sheriff's deputy had to take both dogs back to the sheriff's office. "Has anything changed? No," said Echelbarger's daughter, Earlene Romine, to ABC6 Investigates last October. "Have they learned anything? In my opinion, no." Meador filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Adam Withers, the dogs' owner, Pickaway County, dog warden Preston Schumacher, Echelbarger's condo association, and others. The lawsuit added Coleman as a defendant last month. Due to the addition, the trial initially scheduled for next week has been postponed until May.ABC6 Investigates tried to contact Coleman at the address listed in his Pickaway County personnel file and left a business card at the front door. No one has returned communication.Cold Weather and Snow Advisory remains in effect this morning and afternoon with wind chill values of -15 to -10 possible. Stay with us on this story.Three men have been sentenced for their involvement in the April 2024 shooting death of 13-year-old Angel Diaz in north Columbus.At least two people were injured in a shooting on South Hague Avenue in the Hilltop area early this morning.
Dog Attack Ashville Ohio Pit Bulls Negligence Investigation
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