Report sheds light on Pike chase, man's death
WAVERLY – A March 28 high-speed chase that turned deadly in Pike County started after a driver sped away from a part-time deputy who noticed him going 52 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to a six-page report obtained by The Gazette.
The report, obtained from the State Attorney General's office through a public records request, shows deputies feared for public safety and pursued 26-year-old Robert C. Rooker over numerous roads until the vehicle Rooker was driving came to a stop on Fields Hollow Road March 28.
Two deputies and one major were involved in the pursuit of Rooker. County Prosecutor Rob Junk told the Gazette Rooker was fatally shot by deputies following the 10-to-15 minute pursuit and previously said the shooting appeared justified.
The report given to the Gazette does not contain the statements of the two deputies who had their agency-issued guns taken into evidence — Major Tim Dickerson and Deputy Joel Jenkins. The attorney general's office said the statements were part of the continuing investigation of the case, which is an exemption under state's public records law. A check of personnel files on both men found no disciplinary action.
According to Sheriff Richard Henderson, the investigation is completely in the hands of the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The sheriff said Rooker's cause of death has not yet been released by the coroner.
Dickerson and Jenkins were initially placed on paid administrative leave. Dickerson is back to work, Henderson said, on "light duty." Jenkins has not yet returned to work, but will also be placed on "light duty."
The most recent weapons training Dickerson and Jenkins received was in July of last year and they are certified until February 2016. Dickerson was carrying a .40 caliber Glock handgun and Jenkins carried a Glock 22 handgun.
"None of us want something like this to happen," Henderson said. "But we know as law enforcement that this can happen."
How it started
According to the official incident report, Special Deputy Paul Henderson — the sheriff's brother, who serves as a volunteer deputy and works just 16 hours a month — saw a black Ford Ranger pickup truck traveling eastbound on Ohio 124, just southeast of Idaho, around 11 p.m. March 28. When Henderson activated his radar gun, it clocked a speed of 52 mph in a 45 miles per hour zone.
"I then noticed as the Ranger passed in front of me, that the motor accelerated and the truck lurched forward," Henderson reported. "I made the decision to follow the Ranger on (Ohio) 124 to observe the driving."
As Henderson followed, he realized he was going 80 mph to keep up with the Ranger, according to the report, and that when the Ranger made a left turn onto Jasper Road, it "spun out, and the rear end of the pickup truck went sideways in the gravel trying to accelerate."
When Rooker regained control of the Ranger, Henderson said he radioed dispatch for reinforcements and turned his cruiser's siren on.
The Ranger — which was registered in another person's name — continued along Jasper Road, turned south onto Smokey Hollow Road, did not stop at a stop sign and crossed four lanes of Ohio 32 at a "high rate of speed" and then drove onto Long Fork Road. From Long Fork Road, it drove onto Twin Oaks Road and then back to Long Fork Road.
"During my pursuit of the Ranger, I witnessed the Ranger driving recklessly, swerving, putting his vehicle into oncoming traffic when going into curves, with a total disregard to public safety," Henderson reported.
After Henderson lost sight of the Ranger for a short time, he found it heading east on Tennyson Road, where it crossed Ohio 32 and headed west onto Ohio 124 at speeds over 90 mph.
The chase resumes, ends
Dickerson joined the chase and passed Henderson's cruiser to become the lead officer and Jenkins also passed Henderson to become the second vehicle following Rooker.
Dickerson got in front of Rooker and slowed his vehicle in an attempt to slow the Ranger down, according to Henderson. Rooker then turned the Ranger into the oncoming traffic lane and "tried to hit Major Dickerson's cruiser," Henderson reported.
The deputies followed Rooker from Ohio 124 to Grassy Fork Road and then to Fields Hollow Road, near Latham, where Rooker made a U-turn and accelerated "at a high rate of speed" toward Dickerson's cruiser.
"At that time I then observed Major Dickerson exit his cruiser, removed his duty weapon from his holster, and then fired his duty weapon toward the suspect's vehicle," Henderson wrote.
After Dickerson fired his weapon, Rooker continued down Fields Hollow Road and the pursuit proceeded. Then, Henderson said Rooker's vehicle went partially off the roadway and he saw Jenkins' cruiser was "against the front end of the the Ranger's."
Henderson said after he exited his cruiser he saw Jenkins "with his service weapon pointed towards the suspect's vehicle" and said he saw Jenkins with "his hands on his face, and I could tell he was seriously affected at what had just happened."
According to the report, the deputies called for an ambulance and Sheriff Richard Henderson arrived on the scene at approximately midnight. Dickerson and Jenkins were taken to Adena Pike Medical Center for observation and the investigation was turned over to BCI. One officer reported arriving and finding several spent shell casings on the ground near the cruisers involved in the chase.
How we obtained information
On March 30, the Gazette made public records requests of the Pike County Sheriff and Prosecutor, as well as Attorney General Mike Dewine's office for the initial report on the chase and eventual death of Robert Rooker. The prosecutor responded April 10 and said his office had no documentation on the incident, while the sheriff sent a redacted report on April 15. The attorney general's office on April 16 sent a six-page report that detailed the chase and subsequent shooting.