Ohio News

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Drugstore chain Rite Aid is closing all Ohio locations but four by the end of September as the company recovers from filing for bankruptcy.

The chain announced earlier this month the closures are impacting 117 of the company's 121 remaining stores across Ohio, along with more than 200 in Michigan that will shutter by the end of next month. Come Oct. 1, only the following four Rite Aid locations will remain operational in Ohio:

• 419 Claremont Ave. in Ashland
• 1045 Wheeling Ave. in Cambridge
• 735 N. Water St. in Uhrichsville
• 1955 Cleveland Rd. in Wooster

Rite Aid said in a statement to NBC4's Ohio sister stations that the decision to close nearly all locations "is not one we take lightly" and that the company considered "various factors in our decision-making, including our overall business strategy."

New Columbus cafe offers healthy food and a chance to give back

"We were required to go through a retail sale process as part of our Chapter 11 process, which allows prospective buyers to bid on parts of our business. As a result, we made the difficult but necessary business decision to exit these markets," a spokesperson said. "While we have had to make difficult business decisions over the past several months to improve our business and optimize our retail footprint, we are committed to becoming financially and operationally healthy."

Ride Aid said prescription and pharmacy inventory from the impact stores will be transferred to Walgreens to ensure no disruption of service, the company said.

The closures are coming after Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy in October 2023, and announced the shutting of 154 stores across the nation, six of which were in Ohio. Since then, the number of shut down locations has continued to snowball with hundreds of more stores added to the chopping block.

The drugstore is joining a number of other companies that have filed for bankruptcy and are now shuttering Ohio locations. Buca di Beppo filed for Chapter 11 in early August as the company said it owes at least $15 million to $50 million to at least 30 creditors, court documents show. Plans were finalized earlier this year to bulldoze the chain’s Worthington restaurant at 60 E. Wilson Bridge after the site was purchased by Chick-fil-A in April.

Red Lobster is closing a chunk of Ohio locations after filing for bankruptcy in May, citing $1 billion in debt. Bed, Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy last year, shuttering a number of central Ohio stores.

Pins Mechanical holding final meet and greet with adoptable dogs

Big Lots is shuttering several Ohio stores, among more than 300 locations that are closing amid speculation the company will file for bankruptcy. While Big Lots initially shared plans in June to shutter 35 to 40 stores by the end of 2024, the number of closures ballooned in July as 149 locations posted banners on their websites that read “closing this location.” Since then, the chain has submitted an updated filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that states the company expects to close up to 315 stores.

LL Flooring, a specialty flooring company formerly known as Lumber Liquidators, is closing several central Ohio stores after filing for bankruptcy. The Virginia-based company filed for Chapter 11 in early August and announced it will shutter 94 of its more than 300 locations nationwide. Charles Tyson, president of LL Flooring, said the company is reorganizing for a sale and is in "active negotiations with multiple bidders."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Gas prices in the Columbus area took a tumble last week, nearly doubling the previous week’s decline, to total over 27 cents in two weeks heading into Labor Day weekend.

After prices dipped by over nine cents the previous week, the cost of a gallon of gasoline dropped by 18.1 cents last week, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations, making the average price in the Columbus area $3.27.

The current price is 35.9 cents per gallon lower than one month ago and 24.3 cents lower per gallon than this time one year ago. In Ohio, the average price of gas also dropped by 17.1 cents per gallon, from $3.37 per gallon to $3.20 per gallon.

Bicyclist dead after crash in northeast Columbus

The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.75 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.69, a difference of 94 cents per gallon.

Nationally, gas prices also experienced a drop of 6.2 cents per gallon to reach $3.30, while the price of diesel continues to hit new lows since January 2022, settling at $3.67 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, prices could continue to fade after the busy travel weekend ahead.

"It seems fitting that, in the run-up to Labor Day, the national average has fallen for four straight weeks to its lowest point since February, giving Americans one last chance to hit the road with gas prices being less of a factor," said De Haan. “These numbers will continue to look better every week as we move into fall.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A bicyclist is dead after a hit-skip early Monday morning in the northeast side of the city.

According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, a fatal injury crash occurred at around 12:45 a.m. on State Route 3, known as Westerville Road, at the Innis Road intersection in Mifflin Township. Deputies report that a bicyclist was crossing Westerville Road and was struck by an unknown vehicle, which was traveling southbound.

Columbus man guilty of road-rage assault with baseball bat sentenced

The cyclist was taken to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead at 1:20 a.m., while the driver fled the scene.

An investigation by the FCSO and police from Mifflin Township and Clinton Township believe the suspect may be driving a white Chevy Suburban that may have slight front end damage.

It is the second hit-skip incident in Columbus to occur within 24 hours after a pedestrian was struck and killed near the State Route 161 and Sawmill Road intersection.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the crash and asks that anyone with additional information to contact the Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113.

View a previous report on the search for "patient zero" in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After Columbus residents were hammered with the revelation they could be affected by discoveries on the dark web, thousands have taken the city up on an offer of protection.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's office confirmed that as of Friday, 7,447 people had signed up for the free credit monitoring offered by the city. The sign-ups come after the Rhysida ransomware group leaked over three terabytes of stolen data from city servers onto the dark web, including files with personal information of employees and residents alike.

A spokeswoman did not specify if that number was just citizens, workers or a mixture of both. The city originally rolled out credit monitoring for just employees as a precaution, after Columbus police officers came forward with claims their bank accounts had been hacked. But once cybersecurity expert Connor Goodwolf provided NBC4 with a sample of leaked data from the dark web, it became clear the damage extended to residents as well. Columbus, in turn, extended their offer of credit monitoring to anyone affected.

The city and Experian -- the credit bureau providing the monitoring -- have both assured that taking up the offer doesn't exclude anyone from taking legal action over the leak. Meanwhile, two class-action lawsuits have piled on the city over its handling of the ransomware attack, inviting anyone affected to join their cause.

Where did it start?

Through the course of the ransomware attack's aftermath, NBC4 has asked the mayor's office if investigators have found "patient zero," or the originating device where hackers first gained entry. SecureCyber CEO Shawn Waldman called this a necessity in stopping hacks, because if the original hole isn't plugged, the group could start the attack over again. Ginther and his team have given three answers to that question:

• On Aug. 13, Ginther said, "No, I think that all comes about throughout the investigation."
• On Aug. 17, Ginther replied, "I don't know if we have yet as part of the ongoing investigation and probably not know that for some time."
• On Aug. 19, the mayor's office said, "The patient zero question is still under investigation."

When Ginther first shared that the city's July 18 cybersecurity incident was a ransomware attack, he mentioned that the Rhysida ransomware group first gained access when someone downloaded a .zip file from a website. But the mayor has never named the person responsible, nor has he shared their title or department they were in, or what access they had.

Who is affected?

The full scope of the leaked data remains unknown, partially because of the sheer size of what was uploaded by Rhysida, as well as the fact that some of the data is encrypted. But Goodwolf has told NBC4 he is downloading more portions of the leak and that there are keys to unencrypt certain files in the dump as well.

From the data that Goodwolf has parsed so far, anyone's information could potentially have been leaked if they meet one of the conditions below:

• Anyone who went within the past two decades to Columbus City Hall for something like a city council meeting. Some residents have found their data was leaked from visiting certain other city buildings as well.
• Anyone who may have been a victim or suspect in a case involving City Attorney Zach Klein, as his office's database was found in the leak. This part of the breach contains records for at least 215,372 defendants' cases.
• City employees and their emergency contacts who used the "Attendance Enterprise" employee portal from from 2004 to 2016, since its database was recovered as well.
• Anyone who was a victim -- including if they died -- of an arson fire, since records from 2014 to 2023 from the Columbus Division of Fire's "Firehouse" database were found in the leak.
• Anyone who filed for a civil protection order in Columbus, since information on 5,700 protective orders was included in the leak.
• Anyone who was a witness or suspect in a case involving juveniles, since unsealed records from those incidents contained 12,000 to 13,000 names.

What actions can be taken?

Ginther has shared a deadline of Nov. 29 to sign up for the free credit monitoring offered by the city. Since the leak has also been confirmed to affect minors, a link for them has also been added to the city's webpage for getting the deal from Experian.

Waldman has said one of the worst outcomes of a data breach can include when a bad actor takes a line of credit out in a victim's name. He stressed the importance of taking an immediate precaution to help prevent that from happening.

“I would contact all three credit bureaus and do what’s called freezing your credit,” Waldman said. “Now, that should be done regardless. Even if you’re not part of an incident, everyone should have their credit frozen. … If you go to like, buy a new car or buy a house or something, it really just takes minutes to thaw your credit.”

Contact each of the three major credit reporting agencies at the following links:

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

Waldman added that watching bank account activity is another helpful step.

“If you’ve got notifications that you can turn on, like your credit cards and your bank accounts, have them start notifying you about every transaction,” Waldman said. “That way you get a heads-up.”

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Hot & sticky, high 95
• Tonight: Muggy, low 71
• Tuesday: Humid, iso. PM storm, high 97
• Wednesday: Humid, iso. storm, high 97
• Thursday: Hot & humid, high 94
• Friday: Sct'd storms, high 93

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Happy Monday!

Following a really nice weekend in Central Ohio, humidity is really starting to build, making for a very hot week ahead! Expect highs to warm into the middle 90s this afternoon, with a sticky feel to the air. We'll see partly cloudy skies this afternoon, with just a light breeze.

Humidity continues to build the next several days. Tuesday will be very hot and muggy, with highs in the upper 90s, and "feels-like" temperatures approaching the triple digits. We'll see partly cloudy conditions, with just an isolated storm chance during the late afternoon and evening.

Storm chances remain very isolated through the midweek. Wednesday will be mainly dry, with that isolated chance. Highs return to the upper 90s, with that very muggy feel.

By Thursday, we'll see mainly dry conditions and partly cloudy skies. Temperatures top out in the middle 90s, continuing our very hot stretch.

A cold front finally approaches on Friday, bringing us scattered storm chances. We'll then see lowering temps and lowering humidity as we head into the weekend.

-McKenna

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Columbus Crew have claimed another trophy in a moment of "deja vu" as they ousted Los Angeles FC 3-1 in the Leagues Cup final Sunday night.

For the second time in nine months, the Black & Gold hosted LAFC at Lower.com Field in a final and for the second time, Columbus got the better of Los Angeles. The match was level going into its final minutes, but a late explosion from the Crew put them over the top. Goal scorers for the Crew were Cucho Hernandez, who scored twice, and Jacen Russell-Rowe. Olivier Gourd scored for LAFC.

After what was nearly a goalless half, Cucho Hernandez put the Crew in front with a header goal in the 45th minute. The Crew led 1-0 at halftime.

Olivier Giroud leveled the score for LAFC in the 57th minute. He scored a header goal of his own to make the score 1-1.

The match appeared to be headed to a penalty shootout, with the score still even during stoppage time. But in those final minutes, the Crew came alive.

Hernandez put the Crew ahead by a score of 2-1 in the 92nd minute. Then, Jacen Russell-Rowe put the cherry on top with a goal in the 94th minute to bring the game to its final score of 3-1.

In the second edition of the expanded Leagues Cup, the Crew were able to skip out on the group stage thanks to its MLS Cup win over LAFC in December. Before beating Los Angeles on Sunday, the Black & Gold beat Sporting Kansas City, Inter Miami, New York City FC, and the Philadelphia Union on its way to its first Leagues Cup trophy.

This is the fifth different competition won by the Crew and ninth trophy in club history. Columbus' 2024 Leagues Cup triumph joins its three MLS Cup titles (2008, 2020, 2023), three Supporters' Shields (2004, 2008, 2009), U.S. Open Cup (2002), and Campeones Cup (2021).

This Leagues Cup title is the first knockout-specific competition won by the club since the 2002 U.S. Open Cup. With the win on Sunday, the Crew have earned a bye into the round of 16 of the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup where they will enter as the defending runners-up. In June, Columbus fell to Pachuca 3-0 in the 2024 final.

For the silver medalists LAFC, this is the fourth final they have lost in the last 14 months with the two losses to the Crew, losing the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup final to Club Leon and losing to Tigres in the 2023 Campeones Cup final in September.

With Sunday's final, Columbus became the first MLS club to play in three finals in a nine-month span but the pursuit of trophies doesn't end here. Manager Wilfried Nancy's side will host Club America on September 25 in the Campeones Cup final.

Columbus' journey towards defending MLS Cup resumes on Wednesday when they play at the Philadelphia Union. The Crew currently sit in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with multiple games in hand on first-place Inter Miami and second-place FC Cincinnati.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Tonight: Mostly clear , low 70
• Monday: Hot & humid, high 96 (73)
• Tuesday: Very hot, high 98 (75)
• Wednesday: Isolated t-storms, high 97 (72)
• Thursday: Pop-up storms, high 93 (71)
• Friday: Chance t-storms, high 93 (67)

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Tonight the calm condition will continue. Wind speeds will stay very light. Lows in the city will only drop to around 70 degrees. It will be slightly cool out in the rural areas.

Tomorrow bumps up the mercury across central Ohio. Highs will be in the mid 90s. The humidity will also increase ever so slightly. Skies will be partly cloudy.

The humidity and the temperatures will really increase as the week goes on. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to see both highs in the upper 90s and a heat index in the low 100s.

While this hot week goes on, we are tracking a chance in rain chances. From Wednesday through Saturday there will be a few chanced for scattered thunderstorms moving into central Ohio.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead and another is in critical condition after a Sunday afternoon shooting in southwest Columbus.

A police dispatcher said that officers went to the 1100 block of Parma Avenue in the Hilltop neighborhood after reports of a shooting at 2 p.m. At the scene, officers found two people who were shot. One victim was pronounced dead while another was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

Columbus man guilty of road-rage assault with baseball bat sentenced

No further information was immediately available as police investigated.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man who pleaded guilty to beating another with a baseball bat after a road-rage incident was sentenced recently to over two years in prison.

According to court documents, Sterling Pankratz, 35, was sentenced to 2½ years in prison after pleading guilty to felonious assault, stemming from a road-rage incident that occurred on Nov. 16, 2023.

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Officers responded to Sawmill Road and spoke to the victim, who said Pankratz damaged his car and assaulted him after the two were involved in a crash.

An investigation revealed that Pankratz threw an object through the other man’s car, then sped away. The victim followed Pankratz to take a photo of his license plate, and they both stopped again at the intersection of Sawmill and Billingsley Road near the New Market Shopping Center.

Police said Pankratz got out of his car wielding a baseball bat and began to strike the victim’s car. When the victim got out of his vehicle to run away, Pankratz struck him several times. The victim, who suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung, drove to his residence several miles away and called for help.

Pankratz was issued a $150,000 bond in November, and he pleaded not guilty in December. He changed his plea in June.

In addition to prison time, Pankratz will be expected to complete 1-3 years of post-release control. He received 15 days of jail credit.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Police are still seeking leads in a fatal shooting of an Ohio State student nearly eight years ago.

According to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, the death of 20-year-old Tarak Underiner, who was found shot in the University District just north of campus, remains unsolved with few leads ever since.

On Jan. 5, 2017, Columbus police responded to 911 calls about a shooting near the intersection of East Northwood Avenue and North Pearl Street. Officers arrived at 12:30 a.m. and found Underiner suffering from multiple gunshot wounds before pronouncing him dead at 12:41 a.m.

Two other residents of the house were questioned at police headquarters, but neither were named as a suspect. In a 911 recording, the caller said he heard gunshots and someone running out of the house.

Tarak Underiner

Police confirmed to NBC4 the motive behind the shooting was believed to be drug related and not random. Police also say they recovered guns at the house.

Underiner, a graduate of Cincinnati Colerain High School, was a member of Buckeyes for Concealed Carry on Campus, according to a statement put out by Ohio Students for Concealed Carry, and he was previously interviewed on NBC4 on proposed marijuana legislation in 2016.

To date, no phone calls or leads have been given in this case and the Underiner family is offering $2,500 for any information on the shooting. Anyone who may be able to help is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrime.org and e-mail your tip.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- One person is dead after being hit by a car overnight Sunday in northwest Columbus.

According to Columbus police, an adult was walking at 2:49 a.m. in the area of State Route 161 and Sawmill Place Boulevard near the Sun Center business complex. A Scion xD was driving east on SR-161 and hit the pedestrian before fleeing the scene, per police.

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The victim was pronounced dead at the scene with Columbus police classifying this crash as a hit-skip. CPD's accident investigation unit is investigating the crash and looking for information on the driver involved.

Anyone with information is asked to call 614-645-4767 or if you wish to stay anonymous, call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477.

Many people love the idea of owning a vintage home and preserving a piece of history. But what are your actual chances of finding one in today's market?

Vintage homes date back to the prewar era, meaning they were built before World War II. Houses in this era can come in a variety of architectural styles, which also vary with the age of a city or county, as well as what was in vogue at the time it was built. Prewar home styles include Colonial, Tudor, Georgian, Cape Cod, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Craftsman, and Art Deco.

Depending on where you want to live, it can be difficult to find a prewar home. About 11% of occupied homes in the U.S. were built before 1939. That said, older homes are easier to find on the East Coast, as it was the part of the country that had the first settlers. Many places on the East Coast also have large concentrations of prewar homes because there's not as much land available for development to build new homes.

But that doesn't mean you can't find prewar homes in the rest of the country. In every state, there's someplace like San Francisco with its colorful Victorian homes, or New Orleans with its mix of European influences.

As part of a national analysis, Rocket Homes examined Census Bureau data to find which county has the most prewar homes in Ohio, calculated by dividing the number of homes built before 1939 by all occupied housing units in that county. For this analysis, "prewar" refers to homes built in 1939 or earlier, based on how the Census Bureau collects data.

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#20. Auglaize County

- Share of homes built prewar: 25.9%
- Total prewar homes: 4,881

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#19. Cuyahoga County

- Share of homes built prewar: 26.1%
- Total prewar homes: 143,714

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#18. Tuscarawas County

- Share of homes built prewar: 26.3%
- Total prewar homes: 9,889

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#17. Williams County

- Share of homes built prewar: 26.8%
- Total prewar homes: 4,094

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#16. Huron County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.0%
- Total prewar homes: 6,280

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#15. Belmont County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.0%
- Total prewar homes: 6,855

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#14. Defiance County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.2%
- Total prewar homes: 4,096

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#13. Marion County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.5%
- Total prewar homes: 6,676

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#12. Coshocton County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.7%
- Total prewar homes: 4,028

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#11. Hardin County

- Share of homes built prewar: 27.8%
- Total prewar homes: 3,211

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#10. Fulton County

- Share of homes built prewar: 28.2%
- Total prewar homes: 4,726

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#9. Ashtabula County

- Share of homes built prewar: 28.5%
- Total prewar homes: 10,913

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#8. Van Wert County

- Share of homes built prewar: 28.5%
- Total prewar homes: 3,294

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#7. Sandusky County

- Share of homes built prewar: 29.2%
- Total prewar homes: 6,948

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#6. Crawford County

- Share of homes built prewar: 29.5%
- Total prewar homes: 5,321

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#5. Darke County

- Share of homes built prewar: 30.2%
- Total prewar homes: 6,281

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#4. Champaign County

- Share of homes built prewar: 30.3%
- Total prewar homes: 4,691

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#3. Wyandot County

- Share of homes built prewar: 31.7%
- Total prewar homes: 2,863

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#2. Henry County

- Share of homes built prewar: 32.2%
- Total prewar homes: 3,558

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#1. Seneca County

- Share of homes built prewar: 34.8%
- Total prewar homes: 7,602

This story features data reporting and writing by Elena Cox and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

Central Ohio Weather and Radar QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

• Today: Partly cloudy, high 92
• Tonight: Mostly clear , low 70
• Monday: Hot & humid, high 95 (71)
• Tuesday: Very hot, high 97 (72)
• Wednesday: Isolated t-storms, high 96 (70)
• Thursday: Pop-up storms, high 93 (70)

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

The heat continues to build up across central Ohio this Sunday. Temperatures will quickly make their way to the lower 90s for the daytime high. Skies will stay partly sunny for most of the day with a few extra clouds building up in the afternoon.

Tonight the calm condition will continue. Wind speeds will stay very light. Lows in the city will only drop to around 70 degrees. It will be slightly cool out in the rural areas.

Tomorrow bumps up the mercury across central Ohio. Highs will be in the mid 90s. The humidity will also increase ever so slightly. Skies will be partly cloudy.

The humidity and the temperatures will really increase as the week goes on. Tuesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week reaching the upper 90s.

While this hot week goes on, rain chances will be kept to a minimum for the next several days. There will be a few scattered storm chances eventually, but those chances won't be that impressive.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Community members gathered at an event in memory of Ta'Kiya Young Saturday night, working to honor her while giving back.

Young, 21, was pregnant when she was shot and killed by a Blendon Township police officer last summer. This event aimed to fight injustice while giving back to the community in honor of her memory.

The event included a giveaway of free clothing, food and bookbags for people heading back to school. There were also moments of reflection of Young's life, the children she left behind and the current pursuit of justice following the recent indictment of the officer who shot her, Connor Grubb.

"It was a long wait – almost to the year, waiting for it to happen and the video cam told it, it told what he did was wrong," Nadine Young, Ta'Kiya's grandmother, said. "It just hurts so much what he did and he didn’t ever need to pull the gun."

Grub shot Young while standing in front of her vehicle in a parking lot during a shoplifting investigation. He is facing four counts each of murder and felonious assault, and two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A vigil was held Saturday night for John Wilks, the victim of a shooting last month that left one dead and another injured after an alleged dispute.

John Wilks' family wanted to celebrate the life of the 28-year-old father. His mother, Shari Wilks, said she wants people to know who he was.  

“John was a gentle giant. He had a heart of gold, and he was a calm presence and a great spirit,” Shari Wilks said. “He thought of everyone and did everything he could for anyone at any time.” 

His father, Ronnie Wilks, said he wants to use this moment to shine a light on the impact of gun violence throughout Columbus. He hopes by seeing their grief and pain, it can prevent someone from taking another life. 

Man pleads guilty to killing 15-year-old in 2022

“I hope that it brings awareness and I hope that a young person sees this and really think about the trajectory of his life,” Wilks said. “The senseless killing, I mean just having a gun, It doesn't make you a man. It just creates more problems than maybe you can handle.”   

Friends and family released balloons and lit candles to honor John Wilks, who brought so much to all of their lives. They said they want people in the community to know how important it is to preserve and live life. 

“Lives are precious and important, and everyone matters,” Shari Wilks said. “So just think, try to talk it out. Walk away, don't kill. Don't kill.” 

Mehki Miller, 18, is the alleged shooter according to Columbus police, and he was taken into custody the same night John was shot. The family said they are relieved Miller is in jail as they mourn.

"He touched everyone's soul in the way that he did," Shari Wilks said. "He will live within us forever ... We love you, John.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man was charged after allegedly raping and kidnapping a woman who was at his house for a tattoo, police said.

According to police, Mario Rodriguez Ibarra, 22, forced the victim to engage in sexual activity with him by brandishing a hand gun and threatening force.

Police said Rodriguez Ibarra picked up the victim with a male acquaintance and drove them to Rodriguez Ibarra's residence after connecting via Facebook where they discussed him giving her a tattoo. Police said when they got to the home, he threatened her with a hand gun and assaulted her.

Middle school educator allegedly sent lewd photos to student

The victim told police after Rodriguez Ibarra fell asleep, she left and asked the male acquaintance for help. He then called police and waited with her until officers arrived and detained Rodriguez Ibarra at the scene.

The victim said while waiting for officers, Rodriguez Ibarra came outside and admitted threatening her to have intercourse. Rodriguez Ibarra was transported to the Franklin County Jail -- Jackson Pike.

According to police, he was arraigned Saturday morning with a bond of just over $75,000. His preliminary trial is set for Aug. 30 at 9 a.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Scarlet and gray fans are getting ready as Ohio State football returns in just one week. Come next Saturday, Ohio Stadium is going to erupt with the beloved sounds of the "Best Damn Band in the Land". NBC4 spent some time with the marching band to learn how much work goes into putting on their elaborate shows.

“There is a lot of outside work that people don’t see which is by far the hardest part but it’s something we all love to do. We enjoy doing it because the end product is the halftime show,” said Brody Hyre, one of the sousaphone squad leaders.

He says after tryouts in the beginning of August, it was go time. The band went straight into practices three times a day for two hours to make sure each member was prepared. “The first big thing that we do is script. A lot of people look forward to that. Doing the Script Ohio, learning the counts for that and then the ramp entrance,” said Hyre.

Football Friday Nite: Scores, schedule and highlights for Week 1

Clayton Callender is in his second year as drum major for the marching band. He says once classes began, their schedules only got even more packed. “We do classes in the morning. A little bit of the afternoon and then go to practice from 4:10 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Then we just watch film after practice then do it again the next day,” said Callender.

Now with just days before taking the field, Callender and Hyre say it’s all about the finishing touches. “A lot of it is you learn to rely on each other. You have to count on your friends and row mates to pull their own weight and to know their dots but then a lot of it is we just repeat it, repeat it, repeat it,” said Hyre.

They say while a lot of hard work goes into it, it all pays off when they get to perform in front of thousands of people inside Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes kick off their season on Saturday, August 31 against Akron at 3:30 p.m.

See previous coverage of this story in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The 22-year-old accused of killing a teenage boy in July 2022 pleaded guilty Wednesday, two days before receiving the maximum sentence for his charges.

Ameir Trent pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation and felonious assault in the death of 15-year-old Devin Bannister, according to the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney.

Middle school educator allegedly sent lewd photos to student

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Julie Lynch sentenced Trent on Friday to 15-17 years in prison, the maximum possible sentence for the two firearm specifications accompanying his charges and the reckless homicide charge, the prosecutor said.

Bannister, Trent and three other juveniles shot more than 40 rounds into a residence with four people present on July 18, 2022. The prosecutor said leaving the residence in a car, Trent fired an additional shot, thinking his firearm was empty.

The shot went through the passenger seat and struck Bannister, and the rest of the group dropped the 15-year-old at a nearby hospital before fleeing. Police said Bannister died in the hospital from the wound.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – A Muskingum County man will serve over a decade in prison for drug-trafficking charges, but prosecutors attorneys were disappointed in the outcome.

According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, Skyler Worline, 29, of Frazeyburg was sentenced to serve 11 years in prison – the minimum sentence – for trafficking over 2 pounds of methamphetamines.

In July, Worline pleaded guilty to three accounts of aggravated trafficking of methamphetamine after he was arrested on April 29 in Frazeysburg. Those charges come with a maximum sentence of 38½ years, and the prosecution requested a sentence of at least 20 years.

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Local police officers pulled Worline over for speeding and observed a can of butane on the floor of the car. The officer called for backup to help search the vehicle because butane is used in the production of methamphetamine.

A K-9 unit indicated there were drugs in the car and a search revealed pipes, wrapped syringes and needles. Worline told police he had about 1 pound of methamphetamine in a backpack in the back seat.

Skyler Worline (Courtesy/Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office)

Officers seized 2.6 pounds of methamphetamine, 119 grams of cocaine powder, 27 grams of crack cocaine and 18 grams of unknown pills. During a search of Worline’s home, police seized materials used for the production of crack cocaine, as well as drug paraphernalia and bags filled with money.

Worline admitted to officers that he planned on selling 2 pounds of meth that day in Columbus.

The Licking County’s Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force linked Worline’s case to investigations in New Albany and Dublin, where he had been caught with similar quantities of drugs. Those Franklin County investigations were wrapped into a single pattern of corrupt activity, and the Muskingum County attorneys agreed to take over the prosecution.

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Assistant Prosecutor John Litle was hopeful of a lengthy prison sentence due to the number of drugs being trafficked across county lines but came away from the case flummoxed.

“It is difficult to understand, and even more difficult to explain to our law enforcement partners and community members how an individual who was caught with the maximum classified quantity of multiple different drugs, on three separate occasions, in three different counties, could end up with a single, minimum sentence,” he said.

ASHLAND, Ohio (WCMH) – Three adults have been arrested in Ashland County after being accused of restraining a 6-year-old with handcuffs and letting loose a pit bull terrier on him.

According to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a 911 call on Aug. 17 at a residence on Chapel Street in Savannah, about 18 miles north of Mansfield. Emergency personnel were told a pit bull had bitten a child on the neck and ear. Medics said the child was suffering from serious injuries, and a Life Flight was called to the scene.

Deputies determined the mother, Angelina Williams, and the child were living with a family member, Robert Michalski, who owned the home and dog. Michalski had left the house with the pit bull before deputies arrived. Detectives also learned the child had been restrained with handcuffs on his hands and feet when the dog attacked him.

A search warrant was issued for the home two days later. Investigators recovered evidence to support the investigation, and they found Michalski, 47, hiding in a cubbyhole with the dog on the second floor of the home.

Williams and Michalski were taken into custody, and the dog was housed as a vicious dog.

It was also learned that Williams' boyfriend, Taylor Marvin-Brown, had been present and assisted in restraining the child. He, too, was arrested.

The case has been sent to the Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office as the investigation continues.

Michalski was charged with endangering children and tampering with evidence, and on Wednesday, he was assigned a $150,000 bond in common pleas court. Williams is facing charges of endangering children and obstruction of justice and was issued a $300,000 bond. Marvin-Brown was charged similarly to Williams and issued a $250,000 bond.