Former police officer sentenced after shooting incident

Former Cridersville police officer Matthew Brushaber was sentenced to 180 days in jail with five years of community control sanctions, along with mandatory restitution after pleading guilty in August to a negotiated plea. He was sentenced Wednesday,

Burshaber pled to attempted improperly discharging a firearm in a habitation, which changed the felony from a second to a third degree offense.

Brushaber has a history of mental health issues, including one police report alleging that he had developed a plot to kill other students when he was in high school, after telling other students he had a .22 rifle and was interested in buying more guns and other edged weapons. Classmates were concerned about Brushaber’s appearance in trench coats. A double edged axe, a journal and bottle rockets were confiscated in that instance; he voluntarily surrendered 11 assorted knifes and weapons. Only one student had actually heard Brushaber make threats.

Auglaize County Common Pleas Court Judge Frederick Pepple said the report gave him pause when he was considering sentencing.

According to Cridersville Police Chief Paul Robbins, former chief John Drake would have vetted and hired Brushaber. Robbins said he was sworn in at the same time as Brushaber.

“I did not hire him or vet him at the time,” Robbins said, noting his hiring process is involved.

“I go all the way back to high school transcripts”, Robbins said, which would include disciplinary records. He wouldn’t see mental health records due to HIPPA.

Robbins acknowledged that mental health would be a great factor in vetting an officer. He said officers are being called to be more in sync with mental health but get HIPPA law thrown in their face when they try to get people with mental health issues help instead of locking them up.

Robbins said he would rather give them the help that they need.

Brushaber is prohibited from owning any firearms as the incident was considered an offense of violence.

“You are one lucky guy that nobody got hurt,” Pepple said during sentencing. “This could have been horrific.”

Court records indicate Brushaber suffers from adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and a depressed mood and his alcoholism is characterized by hallucinations, vivid paranoia and florid delusions.

Pepple said when Brushaber is sober and healthy he doesn’t believe he is a risk to anyone; the judge doesn’t want him to relapse. He ordered Brushaber to see family physician once every six months.

“You must stay away from alcohol,” Pepple said.

“I am fully aware of that,” Brushaber said. He wants to get into blacksmithing in Tennessee to stay busy, but would stay away from knives and make horse shoes.

Pepple imposed a $ 5,000 fine and suspended $ 4,500 if Brushaber pays the roughly $ 7,800 in restitution in full within six months.