DARKE COUNTY — A Winchester, Indiana, man is in jail after brandishing a firearm, robbing and threatening a man and his child, and crashing his truck into a creek.
Christopher Newman, 31, was arrested by Darke County Sheriff’s deputies Saturday evening.
On Saturday at approximately 5:39 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call in reference to a truck down into a creek on Delisle Fourmans Road, just west of the intersection of Jaysville St.-Johns Road in Greenville, Ohio. The 9-1-1 caller advised the driver from the crash was fleeing the scene on foot and running north through a field.
At 5:43 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call from Scot Meier, 34, of Greenville, advising he was attacked by a man with a shotgun while checking on his family’s property located at 5363 Delisle Fourmans Road which is near the area of the reported crash. Darke County deputies responded to scene along with Arcanum Rescue and Greenville Township Rescue.
The investigation revealed Newman made entry into a barn located at the residence. Meier had stopped at the property with his 3-year-old son because he noticed property sitting in front of the barn that wasn’t there before. When Meier got out to investigate, Newman exited the barn brandishing a 12-gauge shotgun and ordered Meier back into his truck at gun point. Newman got into Meier’s truck and took his cell phone and wallet. Newman then grabbed the child in the backseat and at that point, Meier wrestled the shotgun away from Newman, who then exited the truck while Meier fled the scene with his son for help. Meier was treated at the scene by Greenville Township Rescue for injuries received during the struggle.
Newman also fled the scene by driving his truck through a large overhead barn door and traveling east on Delisle Fourmans Road. He crashed his truck into a creek a short distance away in the area of Delisle Fourmans Road and Jaysville-St. Johns Road. Newman then fled on foot after the crash and was located by deputies outside a residence at 3598 Jaysville-St. Johns Road. Newman was taken into custody and transported by Arcanum Rescue to Wayne Healthcare where he was evaluated for suspected drug intoxication.
At 5:29 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call in reference to a residential fire at 7808 Darke Preble County Line Road in Arcanum, Ohio. Darke County deputies, Arcanum Fire and Rescue, Pitsburg Fire Department and the Verona Fire Department responded to the scene.
The investigation revealed the residence appeared to have been ransacked and burglarized prior to the fire. The cause of the fire is suspicious and still under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office. Items of property from 7808 Darke Preble Line Road were located and recovered from inside and outside of the barn at 5363 Delisle Fourmans Road as well as Newman’s pickup truck. Newman is a suspect in this investigation.
Newman is currently housed at the Darke County Jail on charges of Aggravated Robbery, a first-degree felony. This case will be presented to the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office for further review and additional charges are likely in the future. Newman already faces pending charges of burglary, theft, counterfeiting, and drug possession in Randolph County, Indiana.
These cases remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
