MIAMI TOWNSHIP — A member of the Miami Township Police Department is on leave for the second time this year after allegedly threatening his neighbors over the weekend.
Lieutenant Jason Etter was placed on paid administrative by the department on Monday, a spokesperson confirmed to News Center 7′s John Bedell.
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A day after being placed on leave, Etter was charged in Montgomery County Municipal Court - Western Division with 17 misdemeanor counts, including one count of weapons while intoxicated and 16 counts of aggravated menacing.
The charges stem from an exchange Etter allegedly had with his neighbors, who were having a Fourth of July party on Saturday.
In a 911 call obtained by News Center 7, a caller told dispatchers that their neighbor came over to their party “raising hell” with a gun.
“And he got an AR and he laid down in the road and pointed the gun at us,” the caller said.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, Perry Township officers wrote in court documents that Etter was drunk when he walked to his neighbor’s home with a rifle slung over his back around 10:30 p.m. He allegedly “yelled for the fireworks to stop and said because it triggers his PTSD.”
“He says he’s ex-military and hearing fireworks brings back memories,” the 911 caller said.
That’s when police said Etter walked back toward his home. Then another firework went off and Etter turned around, dropped to a knee, and pointed the rifle at the crowd, which included nine children, according to court documents.
“We all took off running because he pulled the AR off of his shoulder and pointed it at us,” the 911 caller said. “So we all scattered.”
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Etter was placed on administrative leave in February after being accused of misconduct and failure to uphold the law while serving as the department’s assistant police chief. Weeks later, the Miami Township Board of Trustees demoted Etter from his position of assistant police chief to lieutenant.
A spokesperson for Miami Township Police said the department will conduct “an independent internal investigation of the incident while waiting on the outcome” of his criminal case.
News Center 7′s John Bedell also spoke to Etter’s lawyer, Michael Brush with Miller Walker and Brush, LLP, on Tuesday. He wanted to stress that these are just allegations, but beyond that, it’s too early to comment.
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