Butler Mayor Wesley Dingus Arrested Today on Aggravated Assault Charge Following July Incident
Butler, Ohio (August 17, 2025) — Butler Mayor Wesley Dingus was booked into the Richland County Jail today, on a single count of aggravated assault, according to the county’s official booking website. The indictment, filed through Richland County Common Pleas Court, sets bond at $25,000.
The arrest comes more than a month after a controversial July 11 incident in which Dingus struck a fleeing fugitive with his personal vehicle not once, but twice, during a chaotic pursuit in downtown Butler. The episode, captured on surveillance video and now widely circulated online, has been under review by the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office.
The July 11 Incident
The chain of events began when Dingus reportedly phoned Butler Police Chief Eric Winbigler to report spotting 37-year-old Anthony Ward — a fugitive wanted by Ohio’s Adult Parole Authority — at the Duke & Duchess gas station on West Main Street. Ward, who had previously been convicted of sexual battery of a minor, was listed as a Violator at Large and considered dangerous.
Ward was inside a black Chevy Traverse driven by his 77-year-old grandmother, Mary Hunter. When Chief Winbigler arrived, Hunter allegedly yelled at the uniformed officer while Ward attempted to avoid detection. Once ordered out of the vehicle, Ward fled on foot, sparking a brief struggle before breaking free and sprinting toward Independence Alley.
That’s when Dingus, driving his red car, accelerated past Chief Winbigler, cutting into Elm Street and striking Ward with his front bumper. Surveillance footage shows Ward sliding off the hood and continuing to run, only to be clipped again seconds later in Independence Alley, where Dingus’s vehicle rolled over his leg.
Ward was hospitalized with a broken leg.
Conflicting Accounts
Bellville Police Chief Jon Fletcher, whose agency handled the investigation to avoid conflicts of interest, described Dingus’s actions as reckless but stopped short of offering conclusions, emphasizing his role was to present a fact-driven case file to prosecutors. Fletcher confirmed investigators seized Dingus’s car, documented impact damage, and interviewed all involved parties twice.
Dingus, however, insisted to investigators that Ward had “run into the front of his car” and that he only entered the alley to prevent further hazards. He admitted feeling his car strike something but claimed he did not realize he had run over Ward until exiting the vehicle.
Ward, by contrast, accused Dingus of intentionally trying to kill him, while Hunter alleged Dingus had been following them aggressively and threatened her afterward. Chief Winbigler, meanwhile, testified that it appeared Dingus was attempting to block Ward’s path, not deliberately run him down, though he acknowledged it was unclear how Ward’s injuries occurred.
Official Response
At a press conference days after the incident, Chief Fletcher emphasized the seriousness of the matter and the importance of transparency.
“We don’t have skin in the game,” Fletcher said. “It didn’t happen in our town. It wasn’t our mayor. Our job is to provide a non-biased, fact-driven report for the prosecutor.”
Legal Consequences
With today’s booking, Mayor Dingus now faces a formal aggravated assault charge. The case, elevated from an investigation to a court indictment, places the small village of Butler at the center of a legal and political firestorm.
Ward remains in custody on his parole violation while recovering from his injuries. Hunter may also face charges for interfering with officers during the July 11 arrest attempt.
As for Mayor Dingus, the indictment marks a turning point. Whether his actions are ultimately judged to be an overzealous attempt to aid law enforcement or a criminal misuse of his vehicle will now be determined in court.
