LEBANON, Ohio —

A Deerfield Township man accused of sexually assaulting children had his bond set at $300,000 Thursday.

John "Ben" Reynolds, 53, is charged with one count of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition. Detectives with the Warren County Sheriff's Office said they've identified three victims who were known to Reynolds.

According to court documents obtained by WLWT, the children are currently between 13 and 14 years old. Two are girls and one is a boy. Documents state the sexual assaults started in 2016 and took place at multiple locations including Liberty Center, the KOA campground in Lebanon, a local YMCA and Reynolds' home.

The children told social workers who interviewed them that Reynolds would buy them items such as jewelry, clothes, stuffed animals, toys and candy, according to court documents.

The investigation into the assaults began after the mother of a child reported Reynolds to Butler County Children Services in April.

During Reynolds' arraignment Thursday, his attorney, Edward Perry, said his client was a family man.

"He is married, judge. He's been married for 29 years, and he's got three grown children," Perry said.

Perry said his client moved to Warren County after graduating from Southern Illinois University in 1992.

"He came to Warren County and made Warren County his home, and he's been here ever since. He was married here. He purchased and bought a home in Mason, Ohio. Him, his wife and his family have been in that house in Mason for the last 22 years," Perry said.

Perry said Reynolds has been employed as a software developer, most recently by the Cincinnati Financial Corporation.

"He suspects that, because of his arrest, that job is no longer available to him," Perry said.

Detectives said Reynolds was involved with a Boy Scout troop out of Mason, but they say the children are not associated with the scouts.

Reynolds is scheduled to be back in Lebanon Municipal Court on June 2 for a preliminary hearing.

CARLISLE, Ohio —

Ohio State Highway Patrol are investigating a fatal crash that left a bicyclist dead Monday evening near Carlisle.

According to OSHP, just after 6:30 p.m. a man was riding his bicycle along the Franklin-Madison Road when the driver of a passing vehicle tried to get around the cyclist.

However, the cyclist did not notice the driver and instead turned and crashed into the car, police said.

The cyclist died on impact, officials said.

Police identified the victim as a 70-year-old man. No other information has been confirmed at this time.

First responders arrived on scene and attempted to perform CPR, but they were unable to revive the victim, police said.

Franklin-Madison Road was closed briefly during the crash investigation but has since reopened.

MAYFIELD, Ky. — A Kentucky man suffered a fatal heart attack while cleaning up storm debris at his daughter’s home, authorities said as the death toll edged upward from a recent tornado outbreak across multiple U.S. states.

Services for Terry Martin Jayne, 67, were scheduled Wednesday in his hometown of Russellville. Warren County coroner Kevin Kirby said Jayne suffered the heart attack Saturday and was taken to an emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.

Jayne had been helping to clean up debris at his daughter’s home in Bowling Green, where officials said 14 others were killed by a tornado, including 11 people on one street.

According to his obituary, Jayne had operated a floral shop for 45 years. He is survived by his wife, a son and daughter, three grandchildren and four siblings.

“He was, as he always was, helping someone else,” Jayne’s brother, Bruce Russell-Jayne of Carmel, Indiana, wrote on Facebook. “Rest in Peace my ‘Little Brother.’ We are in shock and can’t believe you are gone.”

Jayne’s death pushed the total of storm-related casualties in five states to 89, including 75 in Kentucky.

The National Weather Service continued to assess the scope of the storm. Eight states recorded at least 41 tornadoes during the severe weather that occurred on Dec. 10 and 11, including 16 in Tennessee and eight in Kentucky.

On Wednesday, the weather service said the tornado that tracked across a wide swath of western Kentucky, from Fulton to Muhlenberg counties, was preliminarily classified as an EF4, with peak estimated winds of 190 mph (305 kph).

The most significant damage occurred in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky, where President Joe Biden visited on Wednesday to comfort those who suffered grievous losses in the storms.

In Kentucky, Lacedric Richardson and his two daughters stopped by to pick up some necessities at Mayfield High School, where the gymnasium was packed with food, clothes, toiletries and other supplies.

Richardson, 36, said he was scheduled to be at work Friday at the candle factory where eight of his co-workers were killed, but happened to be out sick.

“I feel all kinds of mixed emotions knowing that I could have been there,” he said. “I feel grateful, but then I feel like I could have done more if I’d have been there.”

The candle company announced this week that it will give each employee $1,000 to help with expenses and perform an independent review of its emergency protocols. The state is also investigating the factory deaths.

RELATED: Several Kentucky candle factory employees claim they were threatened with termination if they left ahead of storm
RELATED: Northern Kentucky mom raises thousands to help daughter with Bowling Green recovery efforts

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Officials in Kentucky say 64 people died in the wake of severe weather late last week. According to the Warren County coroner, 12 of those fatalities occurred in the Bowling Green area.

Along with the loss of life, more than 500 homes and dozens of businesses were left in ruins. But among the stories of devastation are tales of triumph and survival.

"It's devastating, really. I know a lot of people here and just wanna help as much as possible," Brittany Edwards said.

There's no shortage of goodwill around the city. Nearby, hundreds of volunteers packed up supplies at South Warren High School, preparing to move them to a different shelter.

"I wish there was more that I could do, but I can't really imagine. But as a community we all gotta come together and stick together, so that's why we're here doing what we can," Edwards said.

Homes on Robin Avenue sustained heavy damage, including the house where Muang Oo lives. In the aftermath of the storm, the 22-year-old rushed into the street in the dead of night, running toward the screams he could hear from his neighbor's home.

"I just heard yelling, screaming, so I went outside to check and then they were just yelling Bob's name," Oo said.

The tornado took most of Bob's house, leaving him bloody and confused inside what was left.

"It's kinda hard because it's either get in there, get him out, or think about him losing his life in there when all this fell," Oo said. "Just gotta do what you gotta do, I guess."

With the help of another neighbor, Oo got to Bob and took him out while debris was falling around them. The neighbors, who barely knew each other before, are now inextricably linked.

This story was originally published by Mike Valente on Scripps station WLEX in Lexington, Kentucky.

WARREN COUNTY, Ohio —

Another family is feeling on edge after they say their car was broken into.

"It's very scary and our kids are scared now but we've definitely learned our lesson," the Warren County resident said.

She asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons.

"In the morning we noticed our dog going crazy and she would not stop barking," the resident said.

Around that time, she did hear two vehicles moving down her street.

"I didn't think anything of it until the next morning when my husband told me one of our friend's cars was stolen out of their garage," the resident said.

The family soon realized, although their car was still there, the garage door opener was gone.

Police told them what could have happened.

"These kids are out to get the cars and the garage door openers with the intent of coming back and most likely taking one," the resident said.

Hamilton Township police has warned families of the issue, and that arrests have been made.

"We had four vehicles stolen in Hamilton Township on two separate occasions, those individuals who were involved in those offenses have been arrested by other jurisdictions," Hamilton Township police Chief Scott Hughes said.

Hughes said the majority of the thefts are a result of people leaving their car and garage doors open.

They're working with other jurisdictions to arrest more suspects.

"It's something that affects people the most, like when someone enters your vehicle, like that's your personal property, so other than breaking into someone's home, you feel like it's personal, it feels like a personal attack, so it definitely gets a lot of attention," Hughes said.

In Trenton, video shows a person rummaging through a car parked in a driveway. Then, a vehicle approaches a home, and shortly after, that vehicle leaves with another following behind.

Jessica Ruskaup said that was her car being stolen.

"It was in my driveway but I had left my purse in the car, and we live on a teeny tiny cul-de-sac so I have no idea what prompted them to come into our driveway," Ruskaup said.

If you have any information on similar cases you're asked to contact police immediately.

LEBANON, Ohio —

The trial continued Tuesday for a former youth sports coach on trial for sex crimes involving children.

Eric Schmidt is charged with one count of rape, two counts of gross sexual imposition and two counts of public indecency.

Tuesday's testimony centered around text messages one of the accusers sent to friends the night she claims she was molested.

That accuser is 19 years old, but she was 12 in 2015 — the year prosecutors say crimes against her were committed.

The teenager said she was friends with Schmidt's daughter and was at their house for a sleepover in April 2015.

During her testimony, she read text messages she sent to friends that night from Schmidt's home in Mason.

"I said, 'I really don't understand why you find that funny. No, seriously, it's a remarried man trying to rape a freaking 12-year-old kid," the accuser said.

She said Schmidt exposed himself and touched her inappropriately in the theatre room of the house after his daughter fell asleep.

Assistant prosecutor Travis Vieux asked her, "Did the defendant touch your hand?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your arm?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he rub up your arm?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your shoulder?"

"Yes," she said.

Vieux asked, "Did he touch your breast?"

"Yes," she said.

While prosecutors are trying to use the accuser's texts as proof that Schmidt is guilty of gross sexual imposition and public indecency, defense attorneys tried using the messages to their advantage.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Bill Gallagher asked, "Eric is trying to touch you?"

"Yes," she said.

Gallagher asked, "You don't yell, right?"

"No," she said.

Gallagher asked, "You said you just sort of froze?"

"Yes," she said."

Gallagher questioned how could she be frozen at the same time she carried on text message conversations with multiple friends.

"Does it shock you at all, in all of your text messaging in here, there's not a single spelling mistake, but you're stressed out and trying to figure out what to do?" Gallagher said.

"It's called autocorrect," the accuser said.

Mason Detective Jeff Wyss also took the stand Tuesday. He said he began to investigate the 2015 allegations, but the case was closed when the accuser's family decided not to pursue charges.

That case was reopened in 2019 after a second accuser, also 12 at the time, made allegations against Schmidt.

He's been charged with rape in that case.

Prosecutors said that accuser was sexually assaulted at a party for football families in the Kings and Mason area.

Schmidt had coached youth football, baseball and softball.

That girl is 14 years old now and is expected to testify Wednesday.

Before calling her to the stand, prosecutors called a relative of Schmidt's to testify about what she said she witnessed in January 2015 when she was temporarily staying with the family.

She was 19 years old at the time.

She said she was alone with Schmidt watching Vampire Diaries when he suggested they watch the show downstairs.

She said they relocated to the theater room and continued watching Netflix.

Vieux asked her to describe what Schmidt did that she thought to be sexually inappropriate.

"When we were watching Netflix, after some time, the notice on the Netflix screen says 'Do you wish to continue? Click yes or no.' That had popped up. I looked to my right to see if the remote was near me to click yes. It wasn't there. I had turned to my left and Mr. Schmidt was sitting there with his genitals out," the relative said.

Schmidt has not been charged with any crime in connection to that incident.

Schmidt maintains his innocence. Gallagher previously said Schmidt passed a polygraph test.

A Warren County doctor who responded to Ground Zero 20 years ago said the efforts to find survivors among the wreckage of the World Trade Center have helped shape his career in emergency rooms ever since.

On September 11, 2001, Dr. Randy Mariott got the call to make the trip to New York City as part of Ohio Task Force 1.

“We thought that we were heading there with significant potential of being able to rescue live victims,” he said. “That was our hope.”

For the medical director of Premier Health EMS Center of Excellence, that hope never materialized. When they got to New York City on Sept. 12, there were no survivors to find. The team instead focused on recovering remains, and Marriott attended to the health and safety of other first responders.

“That was the most difficult part,” he said. “The realization that nearly 3,000 of our fellow citizens, not to mention over 400 first responders, were still in that pile and we probably could do nothing to help them.”

His time at Ground Zero has often influenced his work as an emergency department doctor at Premier Health’s different hospitals across the area, he said.

“I think that just the preparation has played a role in my career,” Marriott said. “I’ve tried to focus on doing more with less.”

In addition to having the experience influence his career, he also said the terrorist attacks may have helped make a doctor out of his son.

“I picked him up at his middle school on the way to the hospital to get medical gear that we had to take with us,” Marriott said. “He actually helped me carry out the medical supplies that went to Ground Zero.”

HAMILTON TWP., Ohio — After an hours-long search for a missing 4-year-old girl in Hamilton Township on Sunday, authorities discovered her body in a pond near her home, according to Hamilton Twp. Police Chief Scott Hughes.

"Our worst fears came true," he said during a press conference at 8:30 p.m. "Just before 8:00 the dive team and the folks in the boats were scanning around the outside of the pond near where the rocks were and unfortunately they found Emrie's body there in the pond."

Several police and fire agencies from surrounding counties and cities, including the FBI, searched diligently alongside Hamilton Township community members to find the young girl, who was missing for just under eight hours in the Turning Leaf subdivision.

"This, this sucks, right?" said Hughes, fighting tears. "This just sucks. I mean, she was, she was four years old. There's nothing really you can say."

Hamilton Township police said Emrie was last seen around 12:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon. At a 4:45 p.m. press conference, Hughes said footage from a security camera showed Emrie walking away from her driveway with no shoes on.

Police said they were told Emrie liked to visit the pond to feed the fish with her parents and suspected she may have headed in that direction after leaving her home.

Hughes said later, they found a witness who spotted Emrie in the area of the neighborhood near the pond around the time she went missing.

"Early, when she first went missing ... we had a couple dogs and the dogs kind of led us up this way," Hughes said.

Officials aren't sure how exactly Emrie died and won't until the coroner's office releases its findings. Throughout the search, Hughes said there was no indication she'd been taken or led away and they didn't suspect foul play played a part in her disappearance or death.

Hughes said the community should be commended for the high turnout and determined efforts during the search, including fire and police from multiple townships, cities and counties in the area.

"This community just came together," he said. "We've gotta keep the family in our thoughts and prayers."

Dozens of neighbors and community members joined the search efforts early on, combing nearby woods and yards and driving through the neighborhoods, calling Emrie's name for hours.

"We've looked, we went through the woods, we looked everywhere we could," said Kaitlin Neumann, one of the many community members who helped with the search. "Like, anywhere you walked you were running into people, everyone was driving."

Sunday evening, Little Miami Schools tweeted about Emrie's death, expressing their condolences for the young girl's family and asking the Panther Nation to lift up her family.

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — What was a frantic search by firefighters and neighbors turned to heartbreak and mourning after first responders pulled the body of a missing 4-year-old from a pond in Hamilton Township. With that grief, family members said Monday they were grateful for their neighbors' efforts.

Less than 24 hours after her body was discovered, neighbors had established a make-shift memorial next to the pond at Turning Leaf, commemorating the life of Emrie Schandorf-Woode, the young girl who went missing Sunday afternoon. Just a few hours later, loved ones' worst fears were confirmed.

"We've been watching on television, and you don't realize that it could happen to anybody," said Emrie's father, Kube Schandorf-Woode, at a news conference Monday afternoon. "I want to tell the community that we saw their love. We felt their love. We appreciate their support. We know nothing will bring Emrie back, but they showed us that we are not alone."

Hamilton Township Police chief Scott Hughes shared the family's emotions during the conference.

"I've been in this job for a long time, and this is, without a doubt, the most tragic press conference I've ever done," he said.

Schandorf-Woode's death has affected neighbors, too, neighbors like Harold Johnson.

"I was hoping to find her hidden somewhere, scared," he told WCPO Monday. "Maybe some of the houses they're building hopefully to walk in and find her just hiding."

Johnson was among the steady stream of neighbors who visited the memorial Monday, dropping off balloons, flowers, candles and stuffed animals. Those with kids around Emrie's age said they're using the tragedy to reinforce safety with their children.

"Trying to teach him about safety and really expose him to this because he needs to kind of learn and understand what's going on," said neighbor, Sophia Strausbaugh.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe fundraiser in support of Emrie's surviving family.

LEBANON, Ohio —

Ohio is getting one step closer to vaccinating all teachers in the state so students can return to the classrooms next months, if they're not there already.

Three districts in Warren County, including Lebanon, Carlisle and Franklin.

Teachers who have been in the classroom all year with their students have been waiting for this moment.

"I'm excited to go ahead and get it and be a little safer around my students and for all those around me," said kindergarten teacher Caroline Kindell.

Around 140 shots of Pfizer vaccine were administered each hour in collaboration with Premier Health.

District leaders said it took weeks of work to get to this point.

Staff signed up online and picked a time slot to receive their vaccine.

"It makes me feel like education is valued and that people value the fact that kids being able to be face-to-face like we've been able to do," said kindergarten teacher Vickey Spinner.

The process was quick.

Employees were given the shot, then told to wait 15 minutes for any possible side effects to be monitored.

Then, they got the all clear to leave.

One woman said it feels like an accomplishment after what she's been through.

"I have had some personal experiences with COVID and family members with COVID and actually passed a month ago with COVID, so it's been a huge part of our life this past year. So it meant a lot to do my part and be protected," said school psychologist Karen Mills.

There's a waitlist for employees who failed to sign up by the deadline, but once there are more vaccines available they will be eligible to receive one.

More than 82% of teachers in Lebanon City Schools signed up to receive the vaccine.

The clinic continues tomorrow at the Lebanon City Schools Central Office.

They plan to be open and operating even if there's snow.

A Warren County man who met his victims through his volunteer work as a church bus driver was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing two young boys, according to the Journal-News.

A federal grand jury charged Jory Leedy, 51, of Franklin, in April 2016. Leedy pleaded guilty in June 2019 on the day he was scheduled to begin a jury trial.

According to court documents, Leedy sexually abused at least two boys as young as 7 and 8. Leedy met the children through Target Dayton Ministries, where he volunteered as a bus driver. The children rode the bus, along with their mother, to the church on Sundays. Thereafter, Leedy stopped by the residence to play with the boys and eat dinner with the family. Leedy stopped volunteering as a bus driver shortly after.

Leedy began going to the residence on a nightly basis. He began buying the boys clothes and games. Eventually, Leedy ingratiated himself into the family, taking the boys to church in Cincinnati and on trips to the Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Reds games and Kings Island. He also began taking the boys on vacations out of state, including to religious concerts and to Disney World, according to court documents.

Leedy arranged for the purchase of a car for the family. He helped enroll the boys in a private school. Further, Leedy assisted the family in securing another home that was owned by a friend of his; Leedy paid for part of the rent, according to court documents.

Leedy gave the victims’ family a fake name. His true identity was discovered during an altercation with the victims’ father in which the police were called. Police told parents Leedy’s real name and that he was a registered sex offender, according to court documents.

The victims told police the abuse took place over the course of two years and occurred in different states, including Kentucky, Florida and New York, according to court documents.

In addition, Leedy admitted in court documents that between 1999 and 2001 he sexually abused a then-minor relative when he would take the boy on trips for sporting events, according to court documents.

Leedy served two years in prison after a 2002 Montgomery County Common Pleas Court conviction for gross sexual imposition of a minor who was younger than 13.

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WEST UNION, Ohio —

On the sidewalk surrounding the Adams County courthouse in West Union, Jason Fultz said he's okay with not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I've never really worried about it and then you know, I've been around people a lot and I've always had a good immune system and everything," Fultz said.

Data published by The Health Collaborative shows the way Fultz feels is echoed throughout Adams County.

Of the eight counties in southwest Ohio, Adams County is currently last in the race to vaccinate eligible residents, with 22 percent having had a first dose while 16 percent are fully vaccinated.

"Demand has certainly slowed," Adams County Health Commissioner Dr. William Hablitzel said.

Hablitzel said a few weeks ago, vaccines were in high demand. That's no longer the case.

"I think there is more hesitancy in rural counties," he said.

Warren County, northwest of Adams County, is leading southwest Ohio's vaccination race. While parts of Warren County are also rural, 43 percent of residents there have gotten a first dose and 33 percent are fully vaccinated.

"Knowing that people have responded really well in Warren County has been great," Warren County Health Commissioner Duane Stansbury said. "We want to keep that momentum going as best we can."

Stansbury said one reason the vaccination rate is high in his county is that it's home to a lot of health professionals.

Back in Adams County, Hablitzel hopes vaccine momentum shifts in a way that will prompt more people to get a dose of COVID-19 protection.

"We'll keep plugging along. We have it available. People can walk in and we'll accommodate them," Hablitzel said.

But Hablitzel doesn't think his county's vaccine rate will jump significantly anytime soon. For him, that's a sobering reality since he said more people in Adams County now know someone who's either had COVID-19 and managed to survive or someone who's lost the fight. He believes a number of factors are suppressing vaccination rates in Adams County, including: concerns about the J&J vaccine pause, transportation issues and, in some cases, politics.

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio —

A man was shot and killed by police Sunday after he pointed a gun in the direction of officers outside a residence in Warren County Sunday night, according to Hamilton Township Police.

It happened in the 1200 block of Adams Road where officers responded to a report of a man armed with a weapon, threatening suicide. Officers said they received reports that the man had already discharged shots inside his home.

According to radio traffic, the man's wife walked to a neighbor's house for help after her husband fired a gun twice in the house. The neighbor called 911.

Radio traffic details more of what was said in the 911 call.

"He has a handgun. Now saying she heard a shot as she was walking to the neighbors," a dispatcher said. "They're saying the male's been drinking all day,"

When officers arrived on the scene, they requested assistance from the Warren County SWAT unit.

According to Hamilton Township police Chief Scott Hughes, a preliminary investigation determined that as officers were securing the perimeter of the house and waiting for the SWAT team, the man came out of the house, and pointed a firearm in the officers' direction.

That's when two officers shot and killed the man, who was later identified as 57-year-old Anthony Williams.

Williams had no prior criminal history, Hughes said Tuesday during a press conference.

Hughes said he could not provide information on exactly how many shots were fired until the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation finishes its investigation.

"Our agency immediately requested Ohio (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) to respond to the scene and handle the investigation, along with Warren County prosecutor David Fornshell. Both officers have been placed on standard administrative leave," Hughes said in a release posted on Facebook.

The two officers involved, Sgt. Chris Wall and Officer Josh Clift, were uninjured and are doing fine, Hughes said Tuesday.

Williams' family also provided a statement following the shooting. Read the full statement below.