JEFFERSONVILLE, OH – A tense situation in the Village of Jeffersonville concluded successfully late Monday evening, with no injuries reported, as detailed in a statement released at 5:55 PM EDT on Thursday, June 19, 2025. The incident began around 10:29 p.m. on June 16, 2025, when 43-year-old Johnathan G. Entsminger of Jeffersonville contacted the Sheriff’s Communications Center, claiming individuals were attempting to abduct him. As the situation unfolded, it became clear Entsminger was experiencing a mental health crisis, becoming delusional and fleeing into a wooded area near Fent and Smith Streets.
The first responding deputy encountered gunfire upon arrival, prompting a cautious response. Additional units, including Washington Court House Police Department officers, were called to secure the area. Recent heavy rains had flooded the overgrown woods, turning it marshy, forcing deputies and officers to wade through water to locate Entsminger. A drone was deployed, identifying him 15 feet up a tree, armed and pointing the firearm toward officers and himself.
Through verbal communication, deputies deescalated the situation, leading Entsminger to unload and surrender his weapon before giving himself up. He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Fayette County Jail, where he faces a charge of inducing panic and awaits a mental health assessment.
Sheriff Stanforth praised the teamwork of responding deputies, police officers, communications center staff, and Fayette County Jail personnel, while also thanking Jefferson Township EMS for their standby support. Entsminger is scheduled to appear before Washington Court Municipal Court to address the charge.
