MANSFIELD — The mayor of Butler pleaded not guilty to four counts against him in Richland County Common Pleas Court on Monday, criminal charges that include two fourth-degree felonies,
Wesley Dingus, 48, entered the plea during an arraignment hearing Monday afternoon, which he attended via videoconference from the Richland County Jail.
Defense attorney James Mayer III entered the plea on behalf of his client, who allegedly used his car to strike a man who was fleeing from village police on foot on July 11.
Dingus was arrested Sunday on an indictment returned by a county grand jury. The indictment was filed with the court on Aug. 7, according to online court records.
Allegations against him include aggravated assault (F-4), vehicular assault (F-4), falsification (a first-degree misdemeanor) and dereliction of duty (a second-degree misdemeanor).
During an arraignment on Monday, First Assistant Prosecutor Teri Burnside with the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office recommended a bond of $5,000.
Magistrate Jill Cochran ultimately set the bond higher, at $25,000 plus personal recognizance.
Additional terms of the bond dictate that Dingus be subject to electronic monitoring, cannot drive and cannot have contact with the victim.
Dingus posted bond within an hour of the arraignment, according to court records, which listed Hitchman Bail Bonds as the surety.
(Below is a PDF file with the four-count indictment against Butler Mayor Wesley Dingus.)
The Bellville Police Department handled the subsequent investigation, concluding its work on July 18 and forwarding its findings to the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Bellville police Chief Jon Fletcher detailed the department’s findings during a press conference on July 21.
Fletcher told reporters the department’s role was to provide an unbiased, factual report to the prosecutor’s office.
“I’m not here to determine if (Dingus) did it intentionally or unintentionally,” Fletcher said in July.
The man Dingus struck, Anthony Ward, had recently violated the terms of his parole and was wanted by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Adult Parole Authority. The agency had issued a warrant for Ward’s arrest with a warning that he may be armed and dangerous.
Ward was detained by law enforcement the same day — after Dingus hit him twice with his vehicle. Ward was incarcerated at the Lorain Correctional Institution medical facility, according to the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Correction as of Monday afternoon.
Dingus’ lawyer called arrest warrant not necessary
According to court records, the indictment against Dingus was filed it with the court on Aug. 7.
The dockets states the Richland County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve the criminal summons on Aug. 13 and was unsuccessful and that a warrant for Dingus’ arrest was issued the same day.
However, Capt. James Sweat with the RCSO said the department had no record of a summons being issued prior to the warrant.
“It never made it to our civil division and that would be the normal process for that,” Sweat said. “We don’t have a record of having it or attempting it.”
Mayer said his client was not given the chance to turn himself in.
“I don’t think it was necessary for this case to go out as a warrant,” Mayer said.
“(Dingus) responded to this investigation in the way that you would hope that someone would. His lack of a criminal record, good ties to the community and the fact that he was cooperative with authorities suggests that he’s not going anywhere.”
“It’s my opinion that had this gone out as a summons, a piece of mail delivered by the sheriff . . . He certainly would have been here without issue,” Mayer said.
The attorney described Dingus as a “high character” individual and he looked forward to defending his case in court.
