13 officers cleared by grand jury for shootout at end of January chase

The 13 officers who discharged their weapons during a multi-jurisdictional pursuit in January will not be indicted.

The Montgomery County Grand Jury voted Tuesday, July 2, to return a No True Bill against the Trotwood Police officers, Dayton Police officers and Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies who fired at James Skirvin during a pursuit.

Trotwood officers were called to Voyager Village Trailer Park shortly before noon on Jan. 8 on a report of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.

As the officers were administering help to the female victim, they saw a suspect vehicle speed by them with what appeared to be “a long gun” sticking out of the window.

The suspect continued east on US-35 despite efforts by the officers to pull him over. The Trotwood officers were joined in the pursuit by Dayton Police and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies.

The suspect allegedly made a U-turn at Abbey Avenue and US-35 and began to fire on officers from the moving vehicle.

At Liscum Drive and US-35, the westbound suspect allegedly swerved across all lanes of traffic and hit Trotwood Police cruiser and a Montgomery County Sheriff’s vehicle, both heading east in pursuit.

Officers opened fire on the suspect after the vehicle came to a stop.

Skirvin, 54, was taken into custody and transported to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment. He was booked into jail in February .

He was indicted in March on a number of charges:

• 5 counts of Felonious Assault on a Police Officer with a Deadly Weapon
• 1 count of Felonious Assault on a Police Officer Causing Serious Physical Harm
• 1 count of Discharging a Firearm On or Near or Across a Prohibited Roadway
• 1 count of Failure to Comply with the Order or Signal of a Police Officer
• 1 count of Vehicular Assault
• 1 count of Improper Handling of a Firearm in a Motor Vehicle
• 1 count of Aggravated Possession of Drugs

More to come…

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