Chillicothe, OH – December 26, 2024 – A dispute that escalated into a physical altercation led to the arrest of a local man for assault and criminal trespass on Wednesday evening.
Officers were dispatched to 300 block of E Main Street following reports of an active fight. Upon arrival, they found a homeowner and Zachary Schwalbach engaged in a physical struggle. As the officers approached, the homeowner who had Schwalbach in a headlock, prompting Officer Ryan McCoy and Officer Music to intervene. They quickly subdued Schwalbach for safety and placed him in handcuffs.
The situation arose after homeowners, returned home from work to find Schwalbach on their porch. Unfamiliar with him, they asked him to leave the property. Schwalbach became agitated, claiming his uncle had permitted him to stay there. When the homeowner asserted his ownership of the home and threatened to call the police, Schwalbach reportedly assaulted him with closed fists. In the ensuing struggle. The homeowner was able to get the upper hand and put the trespassing man in a headlock until police arrived.
After securing Schwalbach, officers informed him of his Miranda rights and charged him with two counts of assault and criminal trespass. During the arrest, Schwalbach mentioned that he had “fentanyl in his system.”
Schwalbach was transported to the Ross County Jail, where he was booked and provided with a court date for December 27, 2024, at 9:00 AM in Chillicothe Municipal Court. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
