MOUNT GILEAD — A man sitting in Ashland County Jail for more than 10 months faces 17 new charges, including attempted aggravated murder, according to Morrow County Prosecutor Andrew Wick.
Joshua Boucher, 44, also faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, three counts of felonious assault, three counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and more, Wick stated in a press release issued Saturday afternoon.
A Morrow County grand jury returned the indictment on Thursday, Wick stated.
Bond was set at $1 million on April 3, 2024 for the Morrow County man, who was arrested in Loudonville after a string of incidents spanning five counties (Richland, Ashland, Morrow, Knox and Holmes).
Vick said the charges originate from events that occurred on April 1, 2024 in Chesterville that resulted in the shooting of D.B., the wife of Boucher.
Officials said Boucher was wanted for his alleged involvement in a shooting in Morrow County and later a stolen truck in Ashland County.
In addition, he is accused of leading law enforcement on a five-county, high-speed chase that pushed multiple area school districts into lockdown.
Boucher was finally arrested after abandoning his car and running into an unoccupied house in Loudonville, where he attempted to hide behind a refrigerator.
According to Sgt. Matt Neff of the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Boucher came out from behind the appliance with his hands up, muttering.
Neff said he heard Boucher say “I can explain,” but he couldn’t understand anything else the defendant said as he was handcuffed and taken away.
Multiple counts of the indictment carry firearm specifications that allege that the defendant brandished or used a firearm in the commission of the offense.
The case has been investigated by Morrow County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau.