Photo from a Pick-up versus a 6-point Buck on US 30 yesterday
COLUMBUS – AAA, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission want to remind motorists of the increase in deer-related traffic crashes this time of year.
Since 2018, statistics from the Ohio State Highway Patrol show there were 104,328 deer-related crashes on Ohio’s roadways. While 95% of deer-related crashes only resulted in property damage, 33 crashes resulted in fatal injuries to motorists, with a total 34 people being killed. Additionally, 47% of these crashes occurred in October, November and December.
“Ohio drivers should keep in mind that deer activity always increases during this time of year – especially at dawn and dusk,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “With Ohio’s strengthened distracted driving laws now in place, we anticipate that more drivers will stay alert to their surroundings, and as a result, we hope fewer deer-related crashes will take place this fall.”
At least 50 deer-related crashes happened in each county, with the highest taking place in Stark, Richland, Hancock and Defiance counties. The routes with the most deer-related crashes were U.S. Route 30, state Route 2, Interstate 71, Interstate 75 and Interstate 77.
“You’re more likely to spot deer when you practice safe driving habits and have your full attention on the roadway,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “If you happen to strike a deer, if you’re able, move yourself to a safe place, turn on your hazards and report the crash.”
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, deer become visibly active in October, November and December. This is due in large part to the fall breeding season, which sometimes causes deer to dart into roadways with little caution. This unpredictable movement leads to an increase in deer-related vehicle crashes. Drivers are encouraged to be extra cautious in areas where fencerows, riparian corridors or other blocks of forested habitat intersect a roadway.
“With deer activity on the rise, it’s extra important at this time of year to watch for deer,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “Deer often move in groups, so if you see one, slow down and be prepared for more to cross the road.”
On average, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission remove more than 13,000 deer carcasses from our roadways each year.
Cost of Deer-Vehicle Collisions:
Colliding with a deer is not only dangerous, it’s also increasingly costly. Recent data estimates the average insurance claim for a deer-vehicle collision in Ohio is nearly $5,000. Vehicle sensors found on newer vehicles continue to increase repair costs. In fact, AAA found these new safety systems can double repair bills for minor collisions. The included graphic depicts the estimated repair costs for various vehicle sensors (more information at Newsroom.AAA.com). Without adequate insurance, drivers are left paying the bill. This is why it’s important to make sure you’re covered before a crash occurs.
“In the event of an accident, it’s important to have adequate insurance for financial protection,” Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French said. “Now is the time for Ohioans to contact their insurance agents to complete an insurance review.”
AAA and the Ohio Department of Insurance remind drivers that the optional comprehensive coverage (also known as “other than collision” coverage) portion of an auto insurance policy often is used to pay for deer-vehicle damage repair. Collision or liability-only policies do not cover the damage. With the vast number of costly deer collisions on Ohio’s roads, it is often a good idea to evaluate maintaining comprehensive coverage, even with older vehicles.
“While we can’t predict the actions of deer and other animals on the road, anything you can do to help prevent a crash or reduce the damage from an animal-related collision can save money and potentially save lives,” said Public Affairs Manager Kara Hitchens, AAA Club Alliance.
How to avoid animal collisions:
· Scan the road ahead: Looking ahead helps provide enough reaction time if an animal is spotted. Also, remember some animals, like deer, move in groups.
· Use high-beam headlights if there is no oncoming traffic: This can help you spot deer or other wildlife more quickly and give you time to slow down, move over or honk the horn to scare the animal away. High beams also help in spotting animals’ reflective eyes.
· Be extra cautious at dawn and dusk: Deer tend to be more active in the early morning and at dusk. That’s why these are peak times for deer-vehicle collisions.
· If a collision is unavoidable, apply the brakes firmly and remain in your lane: Swerving to avoid an animal can often cause a more serious crash or cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Drivers who swerve to miss a deer and hit something else may be charged for an at-fault crash.
· Always wear a seatbelt and remain awake, alert and sober: The chances of getting injured when hitting an animal are much higher if you don’t have your seatbelt on. If you’re distracted or drowsy, you’re not properly scanning the road for deer and could end up spotting them too late.
What to do if you hit a deer:
· Following the collision, call the police.
· Avoid making contact with the deer/animal. A frightened and wounded animal can be dangerous and pose a threat when approached or might further injure itself.
· Activate the vehicle’s hazard lights whether it’s light or dark outside.
· If possible, move the vehicle to a safe location out of the roadway, and wait for help to arrive.
· Drivers should contact their insurance agent or company representative as quickly as possible to report any vehicle damage.
Ohioans with insurance questions can reach out to the Ohio Department of Insurance at 1-800-686-1526 or via www.insurance.ohio.gov. The website also contains wide-ranging educational insurance information.
AAA provides more than 63 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited online at AAA.com.
As always, motorists are also reminded they can dial #677 from their mobile device to be connected to the nearest Ohio State Highway Patrol Post during a roadway emergency. A statistical map containing deer-related crash information can be found here and additional information on crash statistics can be found on the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS) Dashboards.
As a profession known for unwavering service, it’s no surprise that law enforcement is a leading career path for military veterans returning to civilian life.
In honor of Veterans Day, Attorney General Dave Yost has a special video message below for Ohio’s veterans who carry on the military’s tradition of service through law enforcement.
Please share his message of gratitude with your colleagues and join us in honoring the many Ohioans who have helped protect our nation’s freedom.
former U.S. CIA Officer pleaded guilty today to drugging and sexually abusing numerous women in multiple countries, including photographing and video recording more than two dozen nude and partially nude women without their consent while they were unconscious or incapable of consenting.
According to court documents, Brian Jeffrey Raymond, 47, of La Mesa, California, was employed by the U.S. government at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Raymond admitted to drugging and sexually assaulting several women in his embassy-leased housing and elsewhere between 2006 and 2020. Additionally, Raymond admitted that, over 14 years, he photographed or video recorded 28 victims while they were nude or partially nude. Many of the recordings show Raymond touching and manipulating the victim’s bodies while they were unconscious and incapable of consent. Raymond attempted to delete the explicit photographs and videos depicting the victims after learning about the criminal investigation.
Under the plea agreement, Raymond will face between 24 and 30 years in prison and supervised release for life. He will also have to pay mandatory restitution to the victims of his criminal offenses. Sentencing hearings are scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19, 2024. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia; Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Office of Special Investigations; and Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The DSS Office of Special Investigations and FBI Washington Field Office are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and National Security Division provided valuable assistance. The FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Mexico City also provided especially valuable assistance.
Trial Attorneys Angela Buckner and Katharine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department gratefully acknowledges the government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República, Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Ciudad de México, and Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, for their extraordinary efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation.
An estimated 10 million doses of controlled substances have been seized, including eight million doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder. The total street value of the drugs seized is upwards of $8 million. Three men have been arrested in connection with allegedly running this large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts.
Emilio Garcia, also known as 6, 25, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; Sebastien Bejin, also known as Bash, 33, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute; and Deiby Felix, 40, of Lynn, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The defendants will appear in U.S. District Court on Nov. 13.
According to the charging documents, in July 2023, an investigation into an overdose death in Salem, Massachusetts, led investigators to a DTO allegedly led by Garcia, Bejin, and Felix. The defendants were surveilled for three months, which culminated in search warrants at locations identified in the investigation, and their arrests on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
On Nov. 1, searches were conducted at four locations in Lynn. These were identified as locations frequented by Garcia and Bejin. The searches resulted in, what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. Over 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of controlled substances were seized. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy.
In total, an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.
More specifically, according to the charging documents, the following drug quantities were seized from the basement of a two-family residential home that was occupied by multiple families and small children:
More than 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of white powder and rock like substances which field tested positive for methamphetamine and cocaine base;
More than 17 kilograms (37 pounds) of suspected raw methamphetamine which equates to approximately more than 3.5 million individual doses;
Approximately 280,000 counterfeit Percocet pills, believed to contain fentanyl, weighing 28 kilograms (61 pounds) with a street value in the range of approximately $1.4 million to over $7 million;
More than 27 kilograms (59 pounds) of counterfeit Adderall pills, believed to contain methamphetamine; and
Approximately 1.8 kilograms (four pounds) of brown rock and powder-like substances, which tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. This quantity of fentanyl equates to about 900,000 individual doses.
Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized during the searches.
“The only thing more depraved than trafficking deadly fentanyl is trafficking deadly fentanyl designed to look like candy to appeal to teenagers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is focused on attacking every link in the global fentanyl trafficking chain, and we will not stop until those responsible for the fentanyl poisoning epidemic are brought to justice. We also continue to urge families to have open and honest conversations about the urgent threat posed by this epidemic, and the fact that just one pill can kill.”
“This seizure by the FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force saved lives in communities throughout Massachusetts,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Not only was this seizure one of the largest in the history of Massachusetts, but some of the pills were created to look like candy, potentially presenting an enormous risk to children. The FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those involved in narcotics trafficking to keep drugs off our streets, and out of the hands of children.”
“The doses of controlled substances seized in this case exceed the number of residents in Massachusetts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “The fact that we now are seeing fentanyl-laced pills pressed to resemble candy only underscores the urgency of this fentanyl crisis.”
Surveillance during the investigation revealed that Garcia and Bejin would travel to the Broadway stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected from the premises to supply lower-level dealers. One such location that appeared to be supplied from the main stash location was an address at 341 Western Avenue in Lynn, where Deiby Felix is alleged to reside. A search of 341 Western Avenue revealed more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, consistent with those found in the Broadway stash location and a firearm.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to do the same, each provide for a sentence of a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Boston Division, IRS-Criminal Investigation in Boston, and the Chelsea, Lynnfield, Salem and Lynn Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit for the District of Massachusetts is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
*UPDATE – November 4* – Marion Post investigating fatal plane crash in Marion County
The occupants of the Piper have been identified. The left front seat occupant was Hal E. Durbin, 71, Findlay, and the right front seat occupant was William J. David, 70, Bowling Green. The incident remains under investigation.
Marion Post investigating fatal plane crash in Marion County
MARION – The Marion Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal plane crash that occurred today at approximately 11:30 a.m. in Pleasant Township.
The preliminary investigation show ed a Piper Cherokee Six crashed into a bean field, approximately nine miles southwest of the Marion Municipal Airport. The single-engine Piper sustained major damage and the two occupants suffered fatal injuries.
The names of the occupants are being withheld at this time, pending positive identification.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Coroner’s Office, Pleasant Township Fire Department, Battle Run Fire District, Fort Morrow Fire District, 1st Consolidated Fire District and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and the incident remains under investigation.
(CINCINNATI, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco today unveiled a digital forensic facial reconstruction of an unidentified woman found deceased in Cincinnati on May 31, 2018.
“Somebody loved this woman and knows who she is,” Yost said. “She deserves to pass from this earth with her name. Help us write the last chapter in her life.”
“If she looks familiar or if you have any information, please don’t be afraid to come forward,” Dr. Sammarco said. “We don’t suspect this was a homicide; we just want to be able to identify her.”
The photo-realistic digital images were generated in hopes of increasing the chances that someone will come forward to assist in identification. Digital reconstruction allows unknown features to be approximated, including eye color, skin tone, and the color and style of hair.
Additionally, for cases where the precise age is not known, the digital reconstruction can be aged.
The digital images were created through a partnership with Yost’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and The Ohio State University.
A forensic artist with BCI previously created a clay facial reconstruction of the woman at the request of the coroner’s office. The clay reconstruction was released to the public on July 1, 2019.
Jane Doe’s remains were discovered beside a playground near an apartment complex at 421 Glenwood Ave. She is believed to be between 35 and 60 years old, between 5 feet, 3 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with brown and gray hair. She was wearing a gray tank top and gray pajama pants and did not have any tattoos or prominent scars. “Schrader” was written in black marker on the tag of the pants.
Anyone with information on this case should contact BCI at (740) 845-2406 or the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office at (513) 946-8739.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing a Florida man who employed harassing and abusive tactics to try to collect debts from Ohio consumers.
“After strong-arming his way to collecting on notes, he himself better be ready to face the music,” Yost said. “Harassment is no way to do business, and it makes this bad actor morally bankrupt.”
The lawsuit, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, targets Orlando-based Myriad Capital Management and its owner, Chris Rivera, who collected debts from Ohio consumers using various names, including Franklin Moss & Associates, Koplan Welsh & Associates, and Blackwell Mathis Group.
The complaint alleges that Rivera frequently changed business names and purposefully used names that sound like law firms in an effort to convince consumers that a lawsuit would be filed if they did not pay the debts.
Yost’s office received 13 complaints from Ohio consumers who detailed harassment and abuse from Rivera’s businesses, including incessant phone calls and intimidating and threatening language.
Some reported that Rivera had threatened them with a lawsuit or jail time, or claimed that their bank accounts would be frozen – all in an attempt to coerce payments from unsuspecting victims, including many who didn’t think they were responsible for the debts in question or who believed they had already paid the debts.
Specifically, Yost’s lawsuit alleges that Rivera violated the Consumer Sales Practices by:
Using abusive or harassing conduct to collect debts.
Making false, misleading or deceptive representations in connection with his debt collection.
Misrepresenting an affiliation with lawyers or a law firm.
Contacting consumers repeatedly by phone to collect the alleged debts after being advised by consumers that they didn’t owe the debts.
Threatening legal actions against consumers, such as arrest or wage garnishment, that he had no legal authority to follow up on or intention of doing.
Representing or implying that nonpayment of debts would result in the filing of civil actions when such actions weren’t lawful.
Changing business names often to prevent consumers from obtaining reliable information about his business practices.
Failing to honor consumers’ written requests to verify the debts that he was attempting to collect.
Yost’s lawsuit seeks to recover consumer damages, civil penalties of $25,000 for each violation of the Consumer Sales Protection Act, and a permanent injunction to prevent Rivera and Myriad Capital from violating the statute, regardless of the business name used.
Consumers who think have been affected by Rivera’s business practices are encouraged to contact Yost’s office by filing a complaint or calling 800-282-0515.
In accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America and in remembrance of the victims of the shooting in Lewiston, Maine, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the State of Ohio until sunset on October 30, 2023.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — A 33-year-old Columbus woman who allegedly met men for sex and drugged them so she could rob them has been indicted in four murders, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced today.
Rebecca Auborn faces four counts of murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of aggravated robbery, five counts of felonious assault, five counts of corrupting another with drugs, one count of tampering with evidence and four counts of trafficking in drugs – all felonies.
“Don’t buy sex in Ohio – it ruins lives and could cost you yours,” AG Yost said.
The indictment, handed down today by a Franklin County grand jury, stems from a joint investigation by homicide detectives from the Columbus Division of Police and special agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).
“These indictments are a result of our close collaboration with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation,” Chief Bryant said. “The Columbus Division of Police remains dedicated to ensuring justice for all victims and their families affected by the actions of a single individual.”
The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, formed under Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, received information that a woman was allegedly meeting men for sex in northeast Columbus, then dosing the “johns” with drugs in order to steal their possessions.
During their investigation, detectives from the Columbus Division of Police, which leads the task force, and BCI special agents, who also serve on the task force, connected Auborn to several overdoses and robberies. These include:
Victim 1, attempted overdose on 12/13/2022
Victim 2, fatal overdose on 1/15/2023
Victim 3, fatal overdose on 4/1/2023
Victim 4, fatal overdose on 4/13/2023
Victim 5, fatal overdose on 6/17/2023
As part of the same investigation, Auborn had previously been charged on Sept. 11 with aggravated robbery, felonious assault, murder, corruption of another with drugs, trafficking in drugs and the illegal manufacture of drugs. She has been in the Franklin County jail since the latter charges were filed.
Investigators, who believe that additional victims may exist, are continuing their investigation with a concentration on Auborn’s activities between December 2022 and August 2023 and within the area of I-71, State Route 161, Cleveland Avenue and E. 17th Avenue.
Anyone with information related to overdose deaths that occurred during those time periods and near those locations should contact the Columbus Division of Police homicide tip line at 614-645-2228.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 32 of his colleagues filed a federal lawsuit today against Meta alleging that the social-media technology giant designed and deployed harmful features for Facebook and Instagram to addict young users to its platforms and enhance its bottom line.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that Meta, instead of working to mitigate the damage inflicted by its social-media platforms, publicly concealed the severity of the psychological harm they cause, including addiction to the platforms, which could, and in some cases did, result in physical harm.
In related complaints filed today in state courts, eight other attorneys general made similar allegations. Florida is filing its own federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The federal and state lawsuits stem from a bipartisan investigation of Meta.
“Given that children, when they’re on these platforms, become vulnerable to cyberbullying and online predators, Meta has added insult to injury, further injuring our children,” Yost said. “I trust that the parents within Meta itself might reconsider these practices, but, until then, initiating lawsuits should compel the company to change its ways.”
The federal lawsuit asserts that Meta violated state consumer protection laws by assuring the public that the platforms are safe and suitable for young users. Yet the company’s practices harmed and continue to harm the mental and physical health of teenagers and pre-teens, the suit maintains, fueling what the U.S. Surgeon General has called a “youth mental health crisis,” which has prompted suicides, devastated families and damaged a generation of young people.
The complaint further alleges that Meta violated federal law – specifically, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act – when the company, aware that users younger than 13 were actively on its platforms, collected data from those users without parental consent. Meta targeted these youngest users after identifying them as a “valuable, but untapped” base, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article.
Although much of the lawsuit relies on confidential material not yet available to the public, some publicly available sources – including disclosures from former Meta employees – detail how the company deliberately sought to gain financially by addicting teens and tweens to its platforms.
Meta’s platform algorithms, the lawsuit says, push users into descending “rabbit holes,” with the objective of keeping users on the platform for long periods. Meta also allegedly used features such as infinite scroll and near-constant alerts in a concerted effort to hold young users’ attention. Such manipulative tactics entice teens and tweens to continually return to the platforms. Instead of disclosing the harm and making meaningful changes to minimize it, Meta publicly advertised their platforms as safe for young users.
The attorneys general also allege that the platforms served harmful content – including material associated with eating disorders, violence, negative self-perception and body-image issues, and bullying – to young users.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive and monetary relief caused by Meta’s platforms.
Joining Yost in the federal filing are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Filing lawsuits in their respective state courts are the attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.
former U.S. CIA Officer pleaded guilty today to drugging and sexually abusing numerous women in multiple countries, including photographing and video recording more than two dozen nude and partially nude women without their consent while they were unconscious or incapable of consenting.
*UPDATE – November 4* – Marion Post investigating fatal plane crash in Marion County
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is suing a Florida man who employed harassing and abusive tactics to try to collect debts from Ohio consumers.
In accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America and in remembrance of the victims of the shooting in Lewiston, Maine, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the State of Ohio until sunset on October 30, 2023.
Joe Lyons •
November 13, 2023
