Dems defer action on man charged in assault
A former Miami Twp. candidate’s status with the Montgomery County Democratic Party will be decided after a felony charge against him is resolved, according to the party leader.
Democratic Party Central Committee member Zebulon Music, who during his campaign for township trustee advocated more support for first responders, faces charges involving the attack of a Toledo-area firefighter.
Music has been indicted in Cuyahoga County on a felonious assault charge stemming from an incident with Joshua Hillabrand after a Cleveland Browns game last month, court records show.
Democratic Party Chairman Mark Owens said Thursday he was not aware of the indictment against Music. But Owens said he doesn’t expect the party to taken any action with Music until the criminal case has concluded.
“We wouldn’t do anything until the court case is done,” he said.
The party’s central committee has about 200 members, Owens said. Music was elected to it in May.
Music, 33, was indicted on Dec. 6 and is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 20, court records show.
According to the indictment, Music “did knowingly cause serious physical harm” to Hillabrand Nov. 4 after the Browns and Kansas City Chiefs game.
Victim hospitalized
Hillabrand, 28, spent several days in the hospital after he was punched from behind and hit his head on the sidewalk, CBS affiliate WOIO-TV and the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.
Hillabrand is a firefighter in Lake Twp. near Toledo and works for his family’s construction company. He was knocked unconscious and suffered a brain bleed, WOIO reported.
Music unsuccessfully ran for Miami Twp. trustee in 2017, his first bid for public office. He finished last in a field of five candidates for two open seats in November of that year, according to Montgomery County Board of Elections results.
During the campaign, Music cited “understaffing in our service departments and safety” among the “biggest issues” facing the township.
Responding to a Dayton Daily News question about the most important longterm issues facing Miami Twp., Music answered, in part, “I will invest in our neighborhoods, parks, roads and first responders. We must have safe places for our community members to live and play.”