MAYSVILLE, Ky. — A former Ripley, Ohio police officer indicted in the death of a pursuit suspect pleaded not guilty in court on Friday.
Caleb Savage, 30, faced a Mason County, Kentucky judge for his arraignment, one week after a grand jury formally charged him on two counts — reckless homicide and leaving the scene of an accident/failing to render aid.
Kentucky State Police investigators said on March 12, after pursuing 22-year-old Ryan Mitchell across the river, Savage failed to render aid and kept driving after Mitchell crashed off the side of a two-lane road.
Mitchell was found dead at the scene, his car fully engulfed, KSP said.
Savage resigned from his position with the Ripley Police Department on May 26, the day the indictment came down.
A warrant was issued for his arrest on the May 30 and he turned himself in at the Mason County Detention Center the next day.
"There needs to be accountability," Stephanie Hanson said.
Describing herself as a second mother to Mitchell, Hanson joined the 22-year-old's family and loved ones at Savage's arraignment.
"We're here to support you, Ryan. We're here to stand up for you," she said.
Joe Suhre, who leads Savage's defense, said his team requested evidence and discoveries from the prosecution ahead of Friday's arraignment, but after Savage entered a not guilty plea, the prosecution didn't have it ready.
They told the judge it was still being prepared and asked for extra time to present it. The judge granted that request.
"There were a lot of things that could have been done very differently leading up to the events of his death that could have had a much better outcome and unfortunately it didn't," Hanson said.
Savage wouldn't speak as he left the justice center. Speaking on his behalf, Suhre said despite the deadly outcome of the pursuit, Savage followed protocol.
"Nobody wants anybody to get hurt or get killed and we have sympathy for (Mitchell's family), but my job is to focus on Caleb's defense and that's what we're doing," Suhre said. "The fact Mr. Mitchell passed away is tragic and we're sorry for that. However, that doesn't mean that Caleb committed the crime here."
Some of the evidence Suhre believes proves no wrongdoing on Savage's part came to light at a Ripley town hall Tuesday when police chief Corey Herren played radio traffic for the community to hear.
In his report to Ripley police, Savage claimed Mitchell lost him and he never saw any indication it had crashed along KY-3056, so he returned to Ripley.
"There's multiple areas this vehicle could have turned off," he said in the recording. "I've lost him."
But Hanson said she only believes half the story and fears Savage never should have worn a badge in the first place.
Before he was hired by the Ripley Police Department in March 2022, just one year before the fatal crash, Savage faced charges in two different Ohio counties.
In 2019 he was indicted by a Fayette County grand jury on a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He was scheduled to appear in court for trial in August 2019, but the case was dismissed after the victim declined to testify.
In Clark County, in October 2019, Savage was charged with one count of domestic violence and one count of assault, court records show.
Hanson said she learned of Savage's record when it came to light last week on social media.
"My initial thought was, 'Surely this can't be true. There's such a thing as artificial intelligence — it's a big deal right now. But surely this can't be true, it's false information' but unfortunately that didn't turn out to be the case," Hanson said. "It's just really unfortunate."
At Tuesday's town hall, Herren admitted to not having any officers' applications on file, including Savage's, before pledging changes to accelerate plans to overhaul hiring and pursuit policy.
It still isn't clear whether a thorough background check had been conducted on Savage before he was hired to the Ripley Police Department.
But Suhre said Savage's former charges shouldn't impact this current case.
"Some of those charges were either dismissed or there was an acquittal and they were sealed and these records have made their way into the public domain when they shouldn't have been," he said. "But regardless of what those records are, this particular case, they don't bare anything on this."
Hanson said at the end of the day, she feels empathy for Savage and hopes the truth of what happened March 12 comes to light sooner rather than later.
"I don't believe that his intention was for Ryan to die," Hanson said. "I don't believe that but I hope that he can be honest and transparent through this process and make changes for himself."
Savage is next scheduled to appear in court on August 11. An administrative hearing, the judge expects the prosecution's discoveries to be ready in order to determine whether Savage enters a plea agreement or the case goes to trial.
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