Licking County deputy crashes cruiser into home

An off-duty Licking County sheriff’s deputy became involved in a domestic dispute, got into his cruiser and crashed into a neighboring house Wednesday afternoon in Reynoldsburg, authorities said.

Deputy Jon Yaeger, 39, was transported to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where he was treated for non-life threatening issues.

Yaeger has not been charged, said Reynoldsburg police, who are turning the case over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp said he is placing Yaeger on paid administrative leave. Yaeger is a 10-year veteran with the department and is assigned to work the overnight shift as a road deputy.

“Early indications are that he suffered from some type of mental-health issue,” Thorp said. “We feel terrible about the incident, but we are thankful that no one else was hurt.”

Reynoldsburg police responded to 911 calls about 2:40 p.m. about a dispute in a subdivision on the Licking County side of Reynoldsburg, west of Summit Road.

Yaeger, who is allowed to take a cruiser home, first drove into a mailbox and then into a house in the 9100 block of Ridgeline Drive, authorities said.

No one was home at the Ridgeline Drive house when the cruiser plowed into the brick front of the two-story house.

Reynoldsburg police had a bomb squad go to Yaeger’s home Wednesday to check on a report of a grenade there. A search found an inert grenade that posed no danger, police said.