Chillicothe, OH – A violent altercation at the Duke Duchess Gas Station on Safford Avenue early on September 3, 2024, resulted in a serious assault and the arrest of a suspect.
At approximately 10:12 p.m., officers responded to a report of an assault at the gas station. Upon arrival, Officer Cody Moore found the Victium lying on the ground with significant blood on his head and face. Counts was conscious but unresponsive initially and had blood coming from his ear. After some time, Counts began to respond but was unable to recall the events leading to his injuries.
Chillicothe Fire Department personnel arrived and treated the victim, who was subsequently transported to Adena Regional Medical Center (ARMC). While awaiting transport, Counts requested that his vehicle be moved. Officer Moore secured his truck but found that the driver’s door would not lock properly. The vehicle’s keys were placed into the property room for safekeeping.
A witness, reported seeing a confrontation involving the victim and two males in a van at the gas station. He observed one of the males, later identified as Robert Althouse, punch Counts in the head and then stomp on his head twice before leaving the scene. Parker provided a license plate number for Althouse’s vehicle and a voluntary statement form.
Further investigation by Officer Shelby Lott included reviewing surveillance footage from the gas station. The video confirmed the witness account, showing Althouse and another male arriving in a gold Dodge Caravan. The footage captured Althouse confronting Counts, followed by a physical altercation in which Counts was thrown to the ground and subsequently lost consciousness. Althouse then drove away from the scene.
Officer Matthew Richardson, who was at Althouse’s address on Park Street, located and detained him. Althouse admitted to approaching the victim over a verbal altercation and claimed self-defense, saying that the man had punched him first. Althouse was arrested and charged with felonious assault.
The victim was life-flighted from ARMC for further treatment due to the severity of his injuries. The investigation is ongoing, with Althouse scheduled to appear in court on September 4, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. He remains in custody without bond.
