New details have emerged about an incident in Ohio where a police officer released a K-9 dog on a truck driver despite commands to stop. The incident, which took place on July 4, was captured on body camera footage and is now under investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies.
The officer responsible for releasing the dog has been identified as Ofc. Ryan Speakman of the Circleville Police Department. He has been placed on paid administrative leave while the department’s Use of Force Review Board investigates the incident.
The incident began when state troopers attempted to inspect a semi-truck on U.S. Route 23 in Ohio due to a missing rear mud flap. The truck driver, Jadarrius Rose, initially refused to pull over, leading to a pursuit with multiple police cruisers. Eventually, Rose did stop, but as officers approached with guns drawn, he accelerated, tearing his left tire on a spike strip.
After stopping again, Rose exited the vehicle with his hands up, seemingly complying with officers’ instructions. A state trooper can be heard on the body camera footage instructing the Circleville police not to release their K-9 onto Rose, but despite the warning, an officer released the dog. The dog bit Rose, holding its grip for over 30 seconds as Rose screamed for help.
Once the dog was finally pulled away, Rose was handcuffed and officers called for first aid. He was taken to a local hospital with significant bleeding. The police report does not mention any weapon being found.
Brian Higgins, a criminal justice professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, highlighted a potential issue of miscommunication between state and local police agencies in this incident. He emphasized the importance of having clear agreements on the use of force practices when multiple agencies are involved.
Jadarrius Rose was jailed for three days following the incident before being released. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the Circleville Police Department has promised to release the results and take appropriate action based on the findings.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the incident occurred on I-35.
