RIPLEY, Ohio — A Ripley, Ohio police officer has been indicted by a grand jury on two charges, including reckless homicide, after he allegedly pursued a driver who crashed and died in March.
According to a press release from Kentucky State Police, 30-year-old Caleb Savage with the Ripley Police Department was working to find a vehicle "suspected to be involved in a property crime" on March 12.
Savage allegedly spotted a Dodge Charger, driven by Ryan Mitchell, heading toward a bridge into Kentucky. Savage followed Mitchell across the state line for around one mile before he turned on his lights and sirens to stop the driver, KSP said.
According to the press release, Mitchell did not stop.
Savage allegedly chased Mitchell onto KY-3056 and, two miles after the chase began, Mitchell lost control of the Dodge Charger and crashed off the side of the road.
"Officer Savage continued on KY-3056 and returned to Ripley, Ohio," reads the press release.
Mitchell was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Mason County Coroner's Office.
Three days after the crash, on March 15, Mason County Sheriff Patrick Boggs reached out to KSP for their assistance in the investigation into Mitchell's death.
KSP's investigators presented the case to a Mason County Grand Jury, which ruled to indict Savage on two charges: Reckless homicide and Failure to render aid/leaving the scene of an accident.
KSP said Savage was charged with the second one because the agency's investigation showed Savage did not try to help Mitchell after the crash and instead drove straight back to Ripley.
Ripley Mayor Nowana Bingaman said Savage broke department protocol by not turning on his body-worn camera after beginning a pursuit, but said Savage followed all other protocols. The Ripley Police Department is not equipped with vehicle dash cameras.
Bingaman said Savage resigned from his role as a Ripley Police Officer on May 26, when he was indicted.
According to a Facebook post by an old account for the Ripley Police Department, Savage joined the department in early March 2022, just over one year before the crash. The social media post says Savage was a graduate of Southern Hills Police Academy "and is excited to serve the residents of Ripley and Brown County."
A warrant was issued for Savage's arrest on May 30 as a result of the indictment. According to officials at the Mason County jail, Savage turned himself in around noon on Wednesday and bonded out two hours later. He was issued a $10,000 cash bond.
Savage is currently scheduled for an arraignment in Mason County on June 9.
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