BUCYRUS — A long day of testimony in Crawford County Common Pleas Court echoed the prosecution’s claims that former Sheriff’s Department corrections officer Jason Tupps held a woman at gunpoint in an altercation that occurred in July 2018.
Tupps, 45, of Galion is accused of holding a motorist at gunpoint in 2018 and threatening to shoot her. The incident led to multiple charges against Tupps including improper handling of a firearm, abduction, driving under the influence of alcohol, using weapons while intoxicated, aggravated menacing, and assured clear distance.
Special prosecutor Margaret Tomaro called arresting officer Corey Grant of the Galion Police Department as her first witness of the day. Grant testified that he responded to a Galion residence after receiving a call from the Galion dispatch office. Grant said that upon arriving at the scene he observed Tupps with his gun drawn on the alleged victim, Abbey Dickman.
Grant told the jury that he did not have a body camera on his person upon his arrival at the scene. He testified that the other Galion police officer responding had his camera turned on, however. Grant said he ordered Tupps to holster his weapon not once but twice before Tupps complied.
Grant said Officer Chaplin arrived on the scene shortly after him. Grant said he went over to the victim who was still on the ground and told Dickman she was safe and that she could get up. She asked who he was and told him she was afraid she was going to be shot. Grant said Dickman was visibly shaken, upset and scared.
Tomaro submitted the bodycam tape to be played for the jury. In the tape, Dickman can be seen telling officers, “The vehicle was riding me, riding me, I thought he would pass. I turned in somewhere and he hits from behind.” She told officers she went left through a yard and drove to her destination.
“I was terrified. He had a gun pointed at me,” Dickman said. “’Spread your hands or I’ll shoot you.’ I tried to raise my head and he screamed, ‘Move and I’ll shoot you.’”
Grant said Tupps told him that the victim was break checking him. Tomaro played further video that showed Tupps insisting that Dickman locked her brakes. Tupps was seen repeatedly asking officers to go back to the scene on County Line Road so he could show them what happened. Grant explained that County Line Road was not in his jurisdiction, but the county would have to do that.
Tomaro had Grant identify the weapon that Tupps pulled on the victim. Grant testified that the gun was loaded and the chamber open.
Grant testified that he detected the smell of alcohol on Tupps’ breath. When asked if he had been drinking Tupps said he had not. Grant testified that Tupps’ speech was loud, and he became more aggressive as the conversation ensued. Based on his observations and experience, Grant concluded that Tupps was intoxicated.
Tupps refused a standard field sobriety test and was arrested on suspicion of OVI. His pockets were emptied of some money and a metal file that contained a white substance. That file was later sent to the Mansfield Crime Lab and tests confirmed that it had no illegal substance on it.
Grant testified that he put on a body cam when he placed Tupps in the vehicle for transport. In the video, Tupps is heard asking not to be arrested in public in his uniform. However, when officers told him he would be arrested, he turned and complied.
“I wouldn’t treat you like that in a (expletive) uniform. Ever heard of due process? You’re taking my shit away like I’m guilty. I’m doing my job,” Tupps argued.
Grant said Tupps began to cry while being transported. Once at the holding facility at the Galion Police Department, Tupps refused to sign the form acknowledging he refused a field sobriety test. He asked for a Sherriff’s officer because he did not trust the Galion Police Department.
Once the deputy arrived from the Sheriff’s Office, Tupps asked to call his attorney, Adam Stone. Upon Stone’s advice, Tupps refused to take a breathalyzer test.
In cross examination, defense attorney James Mayer had Grant outline his client’s actions during the altercation. Grant agreed with Mayer that He (Grant) had no personal knowledge of Tupps’ authority as a deputy. He also agreed that Tupps called 911, asked for back-up at the scene and that he knew Tupps reported he had someone at gunpoint after a traffic incident. Grant also agreed that Tupps asked repeatedly for officers to return to the scene of the accident so he could show them what occurred.
Grant also conceded that there was about 20 feet between Tupps and Dickman. Mayer also pointed out that Dickman seemed calmer in the video than he had described when he first arrived on the scene. Grant testified that people often calm down somewhat as time passes in such situations.
Mayer reiterated that Tupps asked 8-10 times to return to the original scene. Grant explained that that was out of his jurisdiction and he was just responding to the incident where the gun was drawn on Dickman.
On redirect, Tomaro asked Grant about his training regarding drawing a firearm on a suspect.
“If you point your weapon, plan to use it. At that distance, a bullet could be fatal,” Grant said.
Grant further testified that a Glock gun had no safety, was an automatic style weapon firing .40 caliber bullets.
Chaplin corroborated Grant’s testimony. Tomaro played additional bodycam footage where Tupps accuses Dickman of locking her brakes, driving through trees, and ramming him. Tupps said he did not know who she was at the time, perhaps one of more than 120 felons he deals with daily.
While being arrested, Tupps asked for his wife to be called. He called officers bitches and said, “Talk to the bitch who locked it up on me. No one wants to go down there and look.”
On cross examination, Chaplin told jurors he smelled a slight odor of alcohol. He said although the door to Tupps’ vehicle was open, no one looked inside for evidence of alcohol. Chaplin agreed that being a corrections officer might give Tupps cause for concern as to who he might be encountering.
Mayer asked Chaplin why his bodycam was interrupted and turned off at various times during the video. Chaplin explained that while he used to turn off the cam to have private conversations with officers as to what next steps needed to be taken, he no longer does that. He told the jury that he now keeps the cam on for transparency.