MANSFIELD — A preliminary hearing was continued on Thursday against a Perrysville man charged with attempted aggravated murder for the shooting of a female hostage and an Ontario police officer.
Mansfield Municipal Court Judge David Badnell continued the legal proceeding until Feb. 29 at 1:15 p.m., granting a motion filed Tuesday by Richland County Prosecutor Jodie Schumacher.
The defendant in the case, Jareth Vance, 32, remains in the Richland County Jail. A cash bond of $1 million was set Monday during his initial appearance before the court.
“The state’s witnesses are unavailable for today’s hearing,” Schumacher told Badnell. “We cannot proceed.”
Defense attorney Terry Hitchman agreed with Schumacher’s request.
“The court finds that the interests of justice would not be served by proceeding today and grants the state’s continuance,” Badnell said.
The purpose of the preliminary hearing was to allow the judge to determine if probable cause existed to bind the case over for consideration by a grand jury in Richland County Common Pleas Court.
Ontario police responded to 1019 Landings Court on an alleged violation of a protection order Sunday at 8:47 p.m., a legal document meaning Vance was to have no contact with the woman who obtained it.
A caller indicated the suspect in the case was armed.
According to Ontario police, Vance was holding a female hostage at gunpoint at the residence. Officers attempted to free the hostage, when Vance fired at them and shot officer Dylan Bailey, according to police.
Vance also allegedly shot the female hostage, who was taken to the hospital. Bailey was hospitalized and was in stable condition earlier this week. The female victim’s condition has not been released.
After the shooting, Vance went inside the residence and a standoff began that lasted four hours.
Hostage negotiators were called to the scene with Ontario police, the Richland County ASORT team, Mansfield police, Shelby police, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Vance was also arrested in Crawford County last month on domestic violence charges. Crawford County Municipal Court issued a no-contact order with the victim on Jan. 29.
Charges are pending in that case.
Attempted aggravated murder is a first-degree felony. According to the Ohio Revised Code, those convicted of first-degree felonies could be sentenced to a minimum term of between three and 11 years.