Police say Ohio reproductive rights group co-founder abused girlfriend

The chief operating officer for a local reproductive health advocacy organization is accused of strangling a woman during a domestic dispute.

Dorian Wingard, 53, is charged with strangulation, a felony, as well as domestic violence and assault, according to Franklin County Municipal Court records.

The alleged assault took place Wednesday at a home on the 5000 block of Etna Drive in Whitehall.

Wingard is the chief operating officer for Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT), a “Black women-led reproductive justice organization dedicated to collectively restoring our well-being,” according to the group’s website.

Wingard co-founded the group in June 2017. ROOTT advocates for reproductive health and provides women of color with access to mental health providers and pregnancy resources.

The group also offers initiatives surrounding fatherhood and holistic healthcare.

As of Friday afternoon, Wingard was still listed on the organization’s leadership team online.

According to Franklin County Municipal Court records, Wingard grabbed the woman’s arm during an argument and threw her to the ground. The woman told Whitehall police Wingard put his foot on the left side of her neck for about 30 seconds, making her breathing difficult.

The woman called police from an area hospital where she had been receiving treatment, prosecutors said during a hearing Friday. The officers noticed bruising on the left side of the woman’s head and neck and that her collarbone appeared red.

At the end of the hearing, Wingard said he had questions and was told an attorney at the Franklin County jail would be able to help answer those for him.

Municipal Court Judge Zach Gwin set Wingard’s bond at $75,000 for the strangulation case and $75,000 for the misdemeanor domestic violence case.

As a condition of his bond, Wingard is not permitted to contact the victim.

Jessica Roach, the organization’s co-founder, said the group had no comment when reached by phone on Friday.

A grand jury will review the case for possible indictment in the coming weeks.

Dispatch reporter Bailey Gallion contributed to this story.

bbruner@gannett.com