Latest news with #RodneyCreech
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plummer announces Senate bid, setting up primary race between feuding lawmakers
Jul. 15—State Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., has announced he will run for the state Senate seat held by term-limited Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Troy. This means Plummer will face off in the 2026 GOP primary against state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, to represent the district covering all of Preble and Miami counties and parts of Butler, Montgomery and Darke. Plummer is also term-limited in the House and cannot run for reelection. Creech, serving his third term in the Ohio House, opted for a Senate run instead of running for reelection in the House. Creech announced his candidacy in early May, shortly after the Dayton Daily News requested comment from him regarding a previously unreported state criminal investigation that concluded with no charges. Plummer spoke to state investigators in 2023 as part of the state probe, saying Creech made "appalling" comments about the sexual imposition allegations against Creech. Creech told this outlet in May that he considered Plummer's cooperation to be politically motivated, though Plummer said he had not yet decided whether to run for Senate or some other office. To state investigators, Plummer said there was a chance he'd run against Creech in 2026, but denied that his involvement in the state's investigation was politically motivated. "I'm not doing this for political motivation. I'll beat him any day of the week," Plummer told state investigators. "He ain't even on my radar." Plummer v. Creech Creech, a farmer, started this year as chair of the House Agriculture Committee, though he was stripped of all his committee assignments by Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, shortly before the Dayton Daily News first reported on the state's criminal investigation. In his candidacy announcement, Creech characterized himself as a "rock solid, America First conservative who will fight to bring our values to Columbus." Creech also aligned himself with Ohio's leading Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. He vouched for ideas such as eliminating the state income tax, "putting an end to DEI," and creating an Ohio "Department of Government Efficiency," which Ramaswamy helped champion at the federal level. Plummer, a longtime Montgomery County sheriff, aligned himself more directly with President Donald Trump and his supposed mandate to "restore America." Plummer said there was work to do on growing jobs, stabilizing the economy and alleviating property taxes. "I'm running because results and integrity matter," Plummer said. "The citizens of the 5th Senate District deserve no less. Getting results, serving with integrity — that's what I have done throughout my career and that is how I will continue to lead in the state Senate." Neither lawmaker, nor any other would-be candidate, have turned in the necessary forms to become an official candidate just yet, according to Montgomery County Board of Elections Director Jeff Rezabek. The filing deadline is 90 days before the May 5, 2026 primary. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State rep. accused of sexual misconduct, but not criminally charged after investigation
A local state lawmaker has been accused of inappropriate touching that led to a state investigation, but led to no criminal charges. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7's John Bedell got the case file that shows investigators raised concerns about the lawmaker's behavior LIVE on News Center 7 at 6:00. The focus of the investigation was State Rep. Rodney Creech from West Alexandria. He's spent years in elected office in Preble County. Creech sent News Center 7 the following statement: 'I'm deeply disappointed to see my political opponents dig up an old false allegation, for which a law enforcement investigation cleared my name. It seems to be no coincidence that this political smear piece is appearing just days after I announced my campaign for Ohio Senate. I want to be very clear: Dragging my minor child into a campaign and exploiting her for political gain is disgusting and unacceptable. These allegations have been found to be demonstrably false, and I have already begun pursuing legal action against those who are pushing this filth. Like President Trump, I am no stranger to false media attacks. This will not deter my important work on behalf of my constituents, and I look forward to eventually running my Senate campaign on the issues that matter to Ohioans." This story will be updated. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Representative says he was asked to resign following criminal allegations
Ohio state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria. (Photo by Morgan Trau, WEWS.) Ohio Republican Representative Rodney Creech has been removed from his leadership role at the request of House Speaker Matt Huffman, he said, adding that the leader asked him to resign following criminal allegations and an investigation that led to no charges in 2024. Creech, of West Alexandria, was formerly the chair of the Agriculture Committee, but the state website shows that he is no longer in that role. The lawmaker gave us a statement, saying, in part: 'These allegations have been found to be demonstrably false, and I have already begun pursuing legal action against those who are pushing this filth.' We reached out to Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman's team for a statement and clarification, but did not hear back. 'I do not think the pressure on me to resign was justified, but I do believe Speaker Huffman is doing what he believes to be in the best interest of the Ohio House,' Creech said. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will speeding fines in Ohio increase?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A bill in the Ohio House that would increase speeding fines for excessive speeding had its first hearing on Tuesday afternoon. Under House Bill 111, if someone exceeds the speed limit by more than 30 miles per hour, they will receive an additional $200 fine. Organization offering 'bounty' for removal of invasive trees in central Ohio 'We all know that as speed increases, so does the severity of the traffic crashes,' Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), one of the bill's sponsors, said. 'This legislation seeks to deter reckless driving and reduce the number of severe accidents on the roads.' 'This legislation does not affect current penalties for the vast majority of speeding offenses; in fact, penalties for 96% of speeding offenses would remain unchanged,' Rep. Kevin Miller (R-Newark), a sponsor of the bill, said. 'This bill targets the worst of the worst.' Generally, under current law, a speeding violation is a minor misdemeanor with a fine up to $150. Miller, who formerly served on the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said Tuesday that, according to OSHP, troopers issue about 250,000 speeding tickets a year; about 4%, or 10,000, are for speeding more than 30 mph. 'These are the individuals who put our families at extreme risk as they travel our interstate at triple-digit speeds,' Miller said. 'Data has consistently shown that excessive speed contributes to many traffic fatalities and injuries.' Miller said that, for example, speeding by more than 30 mph can mean reaching triple-digit speeds on a highway in a 70 mph zone, putting other drivers 'at extreme risk of injury and/or death.' Why Ohio leaders aren't 'clawing back' grants after Intel delays 'I personally have witnessed the devastation and made those death notifications to folks,' he said. 'So, what we're saying is if you're going to engage in this extremely risky behavior, then you're going to risk having a fine that's $200 more than what the average fine would be.' The bill faced little pushback during its first hearing by the Ohio House Public Safety Committee. Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) said she worries that 'the fines are just not enough.' Brent asked what data the sponsors have, from other states with similar laws, that shows higher fines would be effective in Ohio. 'I'm not sure that that data is out there, we can check and look,' Miller said. 'What we've done is we have modeled this bill off of highly risky driving behavior, such as speeding in construction zones.' A bill to increase penalties for reckless driving in construction zones is also being debated in the statehouse right now. Ohio House Public Safety Committee Chairperson Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) said she knows from personal experience that extra fines and tickets can be effective. How Gov. DeWine, Ohio parents feel about proposed bill to ban cellphones in schools 'Once you get a ticket for something, I mean, when I was young, I also got a speeding ticket, and guess what? Guess who slowed down? I did,' Abrams said. Other members of the committee emphasized that a bill like this needs a strong public campaign to ensure that Ohioans know about it, with the hope that it would work as a deterrent from that type of speeding. The legislation does have one exception to the fine in a provision that prohibits the additional $200 fine if a court determines that an offender is indigent, or unable to pay. The bill now awaits its second committee hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers look to increase penalties for speeding
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WMCH) – Drivers caught traveling 30 mph or more over the speed limit on Ohio roads could face an additional fine on top of a ticket if a recently introduced bill becomes law. House Bill 111, introduced in February by Reps. Kevin Miller (R-Newark) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), would tack $200 onto any existing ticket or penalty for drivers caught traveling at least 30 mph over the speed limit. Third fatal crash within 12 hours closed Interstate 70 in east Columbus 'The goal of House Bill 111 is to deter the most egregious speeding offenses which not only place the offender at risk but equally affects the safety of the motoring public,' Miller said. The cost of speeding fines in Ohio varies between jurisdictions, but tickets can cost hundreds of dollars with additional court fees. Under state law, penalties also increase if the speeding happens in a school zone, construction zone, or if the driver is a repeat offender. Currently, in Franklin County, the typical fine for those traveling up to 20 mph over the speed limit is $155, the fine for speeding 21-25 mph over the limit is $177, the fine for speeding 26-29 mph over the limit is $202, and the fine for speeding 30 mph or more over the limit is $227. Under the bill, Franklin County drivers ticketed for traveling 30 mph or more over the speed limit could face fines of $427 or more, depending on multiple factors. The legislation states if the court determines an offender cannot afford the additional fee, it can be waived. Bill addresses decision-making for Ohioans with developmental disabilities 'Fatal car crashes happen much more often when people are driving at reckless speeds such as 30 mph over the speed limit,' Creech said. 'This legislation simply seeks to give our law enforcement the tools to make our streets safer.' Under current law, being caught driving 30 mph or more over the speed limit also results in an offender receiving four points on their driver's license. Racking up 12 points in two years results in a six-month license suspension. In 2024, there were 27,224 speed-related crashes in the state and 318 of them were fatal, according to statistics from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The patrol reported there were 250,042 crashes total last year. So far this year, from Jan. 1 through March 9, there have been 6,065 speed-related crashes in the state — including 27 that were fatal — out of 43,118 total. Additionally, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has issued 1,337 tickets for driving more than 30 mph over the speed limit, which equates to 4% of all 33,940 speeding tickets issued. HB 111 was assigned to the House's Public Safety Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. It currently has one Democrat and three Republican cosponsors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
