A Blanchester Police investigation resulted in one man charged with Making False Alarms and another with Menacing.
According to Blanchester Police Chief Scott Reinbolt, at around 2 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, police were called to the 300 block of North Street, where Edward Shields, 55, reported someone had stolen a bottle of Klonopin pills prescribed to him. Reinbolt said an investigation was undertaken and evidence was gathered which indicated the pills were not stolen, but “were consumed by Shields and some house guests in a manner and quantity not consistent with their intended dosage.”
Shields was charged with Making False Alarms, a misdemeanor offense which makes it unlawful to knowingly report a crime to police knowing that the crime did not occur, according to Reinbolt, who added this is the second time Shields has made a false report to police and been charged as a result.
Shields is currently on probation in the Clinton County Municipal Court, according to Reinbolt, where he will answer this new charge.
“Unfortunately, the Village will not be reimbursed the cost of the man-hours invested in these pointless investigations,” Reinbolt said.
He added that the investigation also resulted in a charge of Menacing being brought against Nicholas Jacobs, 28, one of Shields’ house guests the night the Klonopin was consumed. Reinbolt said the misdemeanor complaint charges Jacobs with making threats to the personal well-being of Shields while the investigation into the missing Klonopin was under way.
Jacobs, who is also on probation in the Municipal Court, is currently incarcerated in the Clinton County Jail.
Rocks thrown at vehicles
On Saturday night, Feb. 27, two individuals reported that their cars had been struck by rocks thrown at them while passing the 500 block of E. Cherry Street, Reinbolt said. One victim’s vehicle sustained body damage while the other had a broken window; someone was seen fleeing northbound on foot in the alley in that block after one of the incidents, according to police. Officers responded to the area but were unable to find anyone.
“While the damage itself is senseless, throwing a projectile at a moving car is both senseless and extremely dangerous,” Reinbolt said. “If a child had been sitting in one of the cars he could have been struck by the projectile or by broken glass, or the driver of the car could have crashed.”
He asks that anyone with information on this incident call the police department tip line at 937-783-4702, ext. 19.
