Patrick A. Hale, 57, was treated at Grandview Hospital after the incident around 1:50 p.m.
Tipp City police said they found Hale with his van along County Road 25A and Commerce Park Drive after a man called 911 to report he had just shot himself but could not say where he was located. The 911 Communication Center mapping told police and medics the general area of the call.
The first officer to arrive said he saw a man, later identified as Hale, leaning in the doorway of the van talking to another man. A second man was on the other side of the vehicle and told police a weapon was inside. The two men were passersby, police said.
The officer said he saw a lot of blood and had Hale lie down on the ground, where he located a wound in his upper leg and worked to control bleeding. After emergency treatment from paramedics, he was taken to the hospital.
Police said they found more $3,350 cash in a pocket, a 9 mm round unfired on the floorboard and suspected marijuana in the console.
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Detective Sgt. Chris Graham said in his report that Hale told him at the hospital that he had a Glock in a holster when he “hit a bump in the road and the gun spontaneously went off.” Hale said he was alone at the time.
Graham wrote Hale also said he had just cashed a check and admitted to having marijuana and paraphernalia. The police report stated a search warrant was used to check the van Thursday. They reported finding what was believed to be marijuana, a “grinder” and a spent round in the driver’s seat. “No other contraband or items of evidentiary value were found,” the report said.
Two citations were issued to Hale for minor misdemeanor drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Hale’s court appearance was listed on the citations as April 17. A court clerk said he did not appear Tuesday, so he is expected to receive a notice from the court for an appearance May 1.
Hale served on the Tipp City council for 12 years and served as mayor before leaving council at the end of 2017.
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