Circleville City Council approved a settlement this week in last year’s attack of a truck driver by a Circleville police K-9 and its handler, a video of which led to national headlines and calls for police reforms.
In a Feb. 6 city ordinance, the council agreed to pay $225,000 to Jaddarius Rose, the suspect who had fled police over a traffic stop, Serge the police K-9 bit.
On July 4, 2023, an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper tried pulling over Rose, a tractor-trailer driver, for a missing mud flap. Rose, who later said he didn’t stop because he feared that he would be shot, led troopers on a lengthy multi-county chase, eventually ending in Circleville.
Rose got out of his truck and was on his knees with his hands up in the grassy median when Circleville police officer Ryan Speakman unleashed Serge.
Speakman was initially fired over the incident for not meeting the “standards and expectations” for Circleville police officers, according to a city statement.
Speakman will be paid a $40,000 settlement. His union, the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, fought and eventually reversed his termination.
Speakman is scheduled to have a final arbitration hearing on Feb. 21.
Cleveland-area attorney Kenneth Abbarno and nationally recognized civil rights Ben Crump represented Rose.
Abbarno said he had no idea why the city paid Speakman anything.
Rose, he said, is piecing together what he wants to do with his life, said Abbarno.
The mauling incident “has permanently altered the way Jaddarius will interact with law enforcement.”
As for the residents and officials in the Pickaway County government seat, Abbarno said “I wish people would say they’re surprised that it happened there. But nobody has come out and said that.”
Circleville officials didn’t immediately respond to interview requests by The Dispatch. Attorney Ben Crump, a nationally recognized civil rights attorney, announced in July that he would represent Rose.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Circleville settles with officer and man mauled by his K-9 in July
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