By Eric Lyttle
The Columbus Dispatch
COSHOCTON COUNTY, Ohio — A grand jury has cleared Coshocton County Deputy Sheriff Ernest Snyder of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a Holmes County man.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation worked the past two months investigating the shooting of David Stahl, 20, of Killbuck.
The news yesterday by the grand jury left Stahl’s family angry and frustrated. David Stahl’s sister, April Stahl, said she spent the entire day at the Coshocton County courthouse waiting for the decision.
“Me and my 87-year-old grandfather went down there at 8:30 this morning and didn’t leave until after the grand jury was dismissed at 1, " said April Stahl, 23.
She said they weren’t told about the grand jury’s decision and heard it later through media sources.
The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. March 26. Authorities say Stahl had refused to stop for New Concord Police Officer Jeremy Downing, and a 27-minute pursuit along Rt. 83, at speeds of up to 80 mph, followed.
Stahl drove his truck north on Rt. 93 in Muskingum County, then entered Coshocton County. Deputies there quickly spotted the red and tan pickup truck, and two cruisers began following him.
According to a news release issued by the Coshocton County prosecutor’s office yesterday, Stahl used his truck to intentionally ram one of the cruisers, sending it into a concrete median, totaling the vehicle and injuring an unnamed deputy.
Snyder and his partner, in the other cruiser, were able to get Stahl to stop, then attempted to arrest him. As they walked toward the truck, Stahl accelerated toward Snyder’s partner, and then toward Snyder.
Snyder fired, hitting Stahl. He died the next day at Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
The injured deputy was treated at Coshocton County Memorial Hospital and released.
Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said Stahl died from a gunshot wound to his head. April Stahl said he was shot three other times — in the arm, chest and finger.
“I don’t believe he was trying to ram anyone,” said April Stahl, who demanded more proof of that.
“It’s been lie after lie after lie.”
Copyright 2013 The Columbus Dispatch