FORT WRIGHT, Ky. — A candidate in the Republican primary for Kentucky House of Representatives District 67 was arrested in Fort Wright Monday on strangulation charges.
Fort Wright and Edgewood police officers responded to a Walmart location on Valley Plaza Monday night following a report of an adult male who put his hands on a 17-year-old inside the store. When they arrived, officers found the teen with marks and a scratch on his neck.
The teen told police he had been messing around with his friends near the bike aisle of the store. The ball they were playing with almost hit a child who was with his family.
According to a police report, the teen said the child's father, Brian Ormes, got angry and followed the teens. He is accused of grabbing one of the teens and putting his hands around his neck. The teen told police he was unable to breathe for a second but never passed out.
An employee who said she saw the incident told police she saw Ormes put his hand around the teen's neck.
Surveillance footage from the store showed Ormes following the teen before getting in his face, chest to chest and saying something. As the teen starts to walk down the aisle, police said the surveillance footage shows Ormes pushing the teen against a shelf and placing his hands on his neck.
Ormes admitted to putting hands on the teen, police said. He told an officer he was upset that the teens almost hit his son with a ball.
Ormes is running in the May 21 primary for Kentucky House of Representatives District 67, which covers part of Campbell County. His opponents are Terry Hatton and Jerry Gearding. Matthew Lehman is the Democratic nominee.
Hatton called for Ormes to drop out of the race on Tuesday.
"He should consider dropping out of the race," he said. "His actions last night, obviously, he has some personal issues that he needs to address before he can serve the public."
The Campbell County Republican Party said it is aware of reports of an alleged incident involving Ormes "but do not know any of the details surrounding it, so we have no comment at this time."
"However, we do firmly support Mr. Ormes’, and every American citizen’s, Constitutional right to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law," the statement says.
The group noted that it does not support or endorse any candidate in a contested primary race, and would back whichever candidate wins the primary.
"We trust the judgment of the Republican voters here in Campbell County and will support the candidates that they select on May 21st," the statement reads.
Campbell County Democratic Party Chair Melissa Whalen called the situation "sad."
"I don't know how we devolved to this point," she said.
Whalen said the arrest and Republican response was indicative of larger issues within American politics.
"Obviously, none of us are perfect," she said, "but there's a bottom line you should be able to cross."
Democrat Lehman declined an interview and further comment writing, "Generally, I believe our elected representatives should respect their constituents and serve as responsible community leaders. This is what I intend to do if elected to represent Northern Campbell County in Frankfort."
Court documents show Ormes posted bond on Tuesday. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 16.
WCPO is showing Ormes' mug shot because he is a public figure running for office.
