Chillicothe — The August 4th Ross County Grand Jury returned 17 of their 18 cases Friday, with two open for publication. In one of the two, according to the Ross County Prosecutor’s Office:
On June 7th, Chillicothe Police officers were dispatched to an address in the 200 block of East Second Street in reference to a burglary.
One of the victims stated that she had been having trouble with her blood sugar, and had sent her granddaughter next door to get her husband.
The granddaughter said that after she did that, 64-year-old Eric D. Hardesty burst into their door, brandished a firearm, and said “give it to me, bitch.” (It was not disclosed what “it” was.)
The victim said she got out of bed and confronted Hardesty, who pistol-whipped her. When the victim’s grandson noticed what was going on, he tried to help, and was also pistol-whipped by Hardesty.
Then a neighbor who heard what was going on came in and tried to take the gun away, but was also pistol-whipped by Hardesty.
The victim’s husband then arrived and secured Hardesty until officers arrived.
Hardesty, of 25 Deerpath Street off Bridge Street in Chillicothe, is a repeat violent offender with a prior Ross County Common Pleas conviction on a first degree felony aggravated burglary.
Hardesty could get up to 19 years and $35,000 in fines for indictments on:
- One count of first-degree felony aggravated burglary, with a firearm specification and a three-year repeat violent offender specification
- And three counts of second-degree felony assault with a firearm specification and a three-year repeat violent offender specification.
