He pleaded not guilty to each charge.
A Perry Twp. Police Department report says police were dispatched to the 12000 block of Old Dayton Road at 10:32 p.m. Saturday for a weapons complaint. Several residents told police Etter pointed a weapon they described as an AR-15 rifle at them and threatened to kill them if they didn’t stop shooting fireworks.
The report says the victims, who ranged from adults to children as small as toddlers, ran from Etter.
Questioned by police at the scene, Etter told them he had his rifle slung on his back and it never came off his back, according to the report. He said he asked neighbors to shoot the fireworks in a different direction “for fear that embers would catch his fields on fire” but they refused to do so, the report said. Asked how much he had to drink, Etter told police “maybe four or five because it was a holiday,” the report said.
Police told Etter they could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from him and that he knows, as a police officer, that he cannot carry a firearm while intoxicated. He said he knew that but “just wanted to sleep.” He said he did not have a round in the chamber and that he never pointed the rifle at the neighbors, according to the report.
All parties were instructed to go their separate ways and to not have further contact with each other for the evening and they agreed, according to the report.
The Miami Twp. Police Department placed Etter on paid administrative leave Monday as a result of his pending criminal court case, a township spokeswoman confirmed.
“MTPD will conduct an independent internal investigation of this incident while waiting on the outcome of the pending alleged criminal charges,” the spokeswoman said. “The department will have no further statement at this time, as we cannot comment on personnel matters.”
Etter could not be reached for comment.
The 24-year MTPD veteran was previously placed on paid administrative leave in February after being accused of violating police department general orders and the township’s personnel policies.
A hearing on the matter occurred in March. In April, Miami Twp.’s Board of Trustees took action against Etter for two of the four internal disciplinary charges he faced, clearing him on the other two charges. Township documents said Etter failed to follow up on a harassment claim, and indicated an intent to retaliate against an employee.
Trustees administered a disciplinary penalty of an unpaid suspension for 30 calendar days and an immediate demotion to the position of lieutenant with no ability to serve in an acting capacity above that rank.
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