Tag Page MuskingumCounty

FORMER MUSKINGUM COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES WORKER INDICTED ON 11 FELONY COUNTS A former Muskingum County Children Services employee is now facing 11 third-degree felony charges for alleged record tampering. Ashley Steele, 37, of Senecaville, was terminated immediately after the agency says it discovered falsified documentation during a routine internal review. Law enforcement was notified right away. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, the charges include: ▪️ 10 counts of allegedly falsifying official case reports while working as a counselor ▪️ 1 count tied to allegedly submitting a fraudulent document during her hiring process, claiming a prior conviction had been sealed Officials are calling this a serious breach of public trust — especially within an agency responsible for protecting vulnerable children. Executive Director Candace Emmert confirmed the agency conducted an internal investigation, determined multiple reports were falsified, and immediately terminated Steele before referring the matter to law enforcement. Specific details about the altered reports have not yet been released. More information is expected as the case moves forward in court. As always, all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. #MuskingumCounty #Zanesville #OhioCrime #RecordTampering #PublicTrust #TrueCrime #BreakingNews

💔 TRAGEDY ON STATE ROUTE 60: THREE LIVES LOST IN MUSKINGUM COUNTY CRASH A devastating head-on collision on State Route 60 in Wayne Township has left three people dead. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash happened around 3:08 p.m. on February 14 when a southbound 2010 Mercury Milan crossed left of center and struck a northbound 2025 Honda CR-V. The 18-year-old driver of the Mercury was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers from the Honda — sisters from Newark, ages 29 and 22 — were transported to Genesis Hospital, where they later died from their injuries. The driver’s condition has not been released. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT, and local fire and EMS units. This loss is being felt deeply in Newark and Duncan Falls. A mass for the sisters is scheduled for February 21 in Granville. Hug your people a little tighter tonight. Hashtags: #MuskingumCounty #NewarkOhio #DuncanFalls #OhioCrash #Route60 #CommunityStrong #BreakingNews