No charges are expected to be filed against a former lieutenant at the Mad River Twp. Fire and EMS Department.
Clark County Prosecutor Dan Driscoll and Clark County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Jeff Meyer said law enforcement has suspended its investigation into sexual-misconduct complaints against Steven Schaefer.
“We only proceed with cases when our office and the investigating law enforcement agency believe there are charges that we can prosecute,” Driscoll said to the Springfield News-Sun. “Other than to tell you that we never got to that point, I am not sure there is much more I can say.”
Driscoll declined further comment. A message to Schaefer seeking comment for this story wasn’t returned, and he has previously declined to comment for related articles.
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A criminal investigation against Schaefer was launched after this news organization obtained public records earlier this year detailing two sexual misconduct complaints filed against him by two female co-workers when he worked at the Bethel Twp. Fire Department.
The first complaint alleges he forced a female co-worker to perform a sex act on him in late 2016. The second complaint accuses Schaefer of forcibly touching a different female co-worker in February 2017. The complaints were filed on Feb. 21, 2017, with Bethel Twp.
Bethel Twp. Fire Chief Jacob King said this news organization’s public records request prompted the department to forward the complaints to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
Before the investigation, Schaefer was working as a lieutenant at the Mad River Twp. Fire and EMS Department. He was fired from the department, according to the Mad River Twp. Trustees.
The Mad River Twp. Trustees then launched an investigation into the hiring of Schaefer — which resulted in no administrative charges against chief Tim Wendling or Bethel Twp. Fire Assistant Chief Jackie Ashworth. The decision led to the resignations of 12 experienced employees of the firehouse. They included captains, lieutenants, crew leaders, paramedics and fire inspectors who made up up a large portion of the fire department’s staff.
Ashworth resigned/retired from her position July 10 from the fire department, Mad River Twp. Trustee Kathy Estep said.
This news organization reached out to Ashworth for comment but has not received a response.
A replacement for her position has not been named.
Estep said, instead, Wendling has divided responsibilities up between captains and lieutenants at the department. She said the department has several new members and the chief wants to take his time in deciding who his next assistant will be.
“The chief does intend to have an assistant chief in the future, but there has been so much change, he’s holding back to stabilize the department.”
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