Dayton Daily News

Trial begins for man accused in Warren County shootout

Police say Christophe­r Hubbard led officers in a pursuit and tried to kill them in 2020.

- By Lauren Pack Contact this reporter at 513-820-2168 or email Lauren.Pack@coxinc.com.

More than two years after a shootout with law enforcemen­t in the yard of a Warren County residence, the trial of the man accused of trying to kill police officers in August 2020 began Tuesday in common pleas court.

Sgt. Dennis Jordan of the Middletown Division of Police and suspect Christophe­r J. Hubbard were shot shortly before 5 p.m. Aug. 31, 2020, after a pursuit that began in the area of 18th Avenue in Middletown and ended in the 2600 block of Mason-Montgomery Road in Turtlecree­k Twp.

The incident took place in Warren County, but witnesses scheduled to testify are from Butler County and state police agencies. The pandemic, coupled with expert issues and legal maneuverin­g, continued the trial several times.

Hubbard, now 38, was indicted Dec. 21, 2020, by a Warren County grand jury for attempted murder and felonious assault for allegedly shooting Jordan; attempted aggravated murder and felonious assault for allegedly shooting at Butler County Sheriff ’s deputy Mike Barger; and attempted aggravated murder and felonious assault for allegedly shooting at Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Brett Lee. The charges contain gun specificat­ions that would add to a sentence if Hubbard is found guilty.

Hubbard is also charged with two counts of having weapons under disability, failure to comply, improper handling of a firearms in a motor vehicle and a second-degree misdemeano­r charge of assaulting a police dog.

Jordan’s dog, Koda, attempted to apprehend Hubbard while he sat in the car. The police dog was not hit by gunfire. Jordan, shot in the shoulder and finger, has returned to duty.

An investigat­ion by the Ohio Bureau of Investigat­ion indicated Hubbard shot first, striking Jordan, and that eight officers returned fire.

Hubbard, who was sent back to prison shortly after the incident, is being held on $1 million bond in the Warren County Jail.

Warren County prosecutor­s say in the days leading up Aug. 31, Hubbard told loved ones and his probation officer that he would not go back to prison and “was going to shoot it out with police.” Hubbard was also a suspect in an unsolved Hamilton homicide.

That informatio­n prompted an alert to area law enforcemen­t for their safety. On Aug. 31, 2020, Hamilton and Middletown police officers were following Hubbard on Ohio 4 in an attempt to stop him, and were unsuccessf­ul.

Other law enforcemen­t agencies joined the pursuit with Hubbard refusing to stop, assistant prosecutor Travis Vieux said Tuesday during opening statements.

After nearly hitting a cruiser head-on and running over tire-piercing spikes, Hubbard’s car stopped in a yard on Mason-Montgomery Road where “Christophe­r Hubbard did exactly what he said he was going to do,” Vieux told the jury.

Multiple officers surrounded Hubbard and his car, ordering him to surrender, but Hubbard “reclined his driver seat back and concealed himself,” Vieux said. He did not show his hands to surrender, according to prosecutor­s.

Jordan devised a plan to shoot out a window of Hubbard’s car with a bean bag gun and deploy his police dog.

The car window was shattered and Hubbard fired five shots, hitting Jordan, Vieux said. Officers then returned fire, deploying nearly 60 rounds. Hubbard was shot 15 times. Two guns, one jammed, were found in the car with Hubbard.

“Christophe­r Hubbard finally put his hands out the window and surrendere­d after being shot 15 times,” Vieux said.

“Christophe­r Hubbard shot before any of the officers shot. Christophe­r Hubbard shot or aimed at the police officers with the intent to destroy life.”

Prosecutor­s said the five-second incident was caught on video that the jury will see.

The defense told jurors they will hear from Hubbard, who will tell them he acted in self defense when post-traumatic stress disorder was triggered by officers following him and he feared for his life.

Attorney William Oswall said on Aug. 31, 2020, police were looking to arrest Hubbard. When they began follow him, “he thought this doesn’t feel right. His PTSD was triggered.”

Hubbard truly believed “at this point that the police are going to try to kill (due to his PTSD),” Oswall said.

That’s when Hubbard drove into a residentia­l yard, thinking officers would not kill him in front of a house.

“He calls 911 stating ‘tell the police not to shoot me,’ ” Oswall said.

When the car window exploded in Hubbard’s face from the bean bag and the dog charged forward, Hubbard fired at the dog, according to the defense attorney.

“He was in fight-or-flight mode because of PTSD,” Oswall said.

The defense also told the jury during opening statements that Hubbard has not been charged or even questioned about the Hamilton homicide in which he was allegedly a suspect.

The trial is scheduled to last all week in Warren County Common Pleas Judge Tim Tepe’s courtroom.

 ?? NICK GRAHAM / STAFF ?? Christophe­r Hubbard, who is charged with multiple felonies related to a shootout with MIddletown police officers in the summer of 2020, attends the first day of his trial in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
NICK GRAHAM / STAFF Christophe­r Hubbard, who is charged with multiple felonies related to a shootout with MIddletown police officers in the summer of 2020, attends the first day of his trial in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D ?? Middletown police Officer Dennis Jordan was shot on Aug. 31, 2020. His K-9 partner, Koda, was not injured.
CONTRIBUTE­D Middletown police Officer Dennis Jordan was shot on Aug. 31, 2020. His K-9 partner, Koda, was not injured.

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