WILMINGTON — The new commander of the Wilmington Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol has Clinton County connections — all five of his adult children graduated from Clinton-Massie High School.
Lieutenant Charles “Chuck” E. O’Bryon recently transferred to the Wilmington Post to serve as commander. Prior to the move, he was serving as commander at the Lebanon Post in Warren County.
Residents of Clinton County may know O’Bryon as a former Clinton-Massie Middle School football coach, something he stopped doing about three years ago due to time constraints.
He said he was originally drawn to the highway patrol as a young man because he wanted to make a difference in his community.
“Basically I always wanted to serve and help others,” said O’Bryon.
He said he grew up in a rural community, in the Warsaw area of Coshocton County in east-central Ohio. The county had a population of 36,901 as of the 2010 census, about 5,100 less than Clinton County.
Noting he already knows quite a few people in Clinton County, O’Bryon said as commander he wants to ensure the traffic safety services in Clinton, Highland and Fayette Counties are quality services.
O’Bryon began his Ohio State Highway Patrol career in May 1993 as a member of the 125th Academy Class. He earned his commission in November of that year and was assigned to the Lebanon Post.
In 2010, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to the Georgetown Post to serve as an assistant post commander. Later that year, he transferred to the Batavia Post. In 2012, he returned to the Lebanon Post.
In 2016, O’Bryon was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and remained at the Lebanon Post to serve as commander.
In his new position, O’Bryon succeeds Lt. Stan Jordan who recently retired as the Wilmington Post commander.
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
