CHILLICOTHE, OH — A local woman is facing multiple felony charges after a wild sequence of events on Wednesday afternoon, during which she allegedly used her vehicle to drag and attempt to run over corrections deputies outside the Law Enforcement Complex (LEC), struck the courthouse, and later fiercely resisted arrest in a retail parking lot.
Pamela McGinnis was apprehended and booked into the Ross County Jail on charges of Felonious Assault, Resisting Arrest, and Obstructing Official Business.
The Meltdown at the Jail
The incident began around 3:55 PM at the Law Enforcement Complex located at 28 N. Paint Street. According to Chillicothe Police Department reports, McGinnis entered the building and was found in the 101 Hallway violently kicking a door that leads into the jail, demanding to see her husband, Michael McGinnis, who is currently an inmate at the facility.
When a deputy sergeant instructed her to leave the building and move her white Toyota sedan—which was completely blocking the alleyway between the LEC and the Common Pleas Courthouse—McGinnis became irate and began yelling.
As additional backup arrived, the situation escalated rapidly:
- The Standoff: McGinnis got into her sedan and turned the vehicle around, positioning it as if she was going to drive the car directly into the building’s hallway.
- Assault with Water: When deputies approached the vehicle to detain her, she began throwing water on them.
- Deputies Dragged: In an attempt to evade the officers, McGinnis rolled up her car window, trapping the fingers of Deputy Gullion. She then slammed the car into reverse, dragging both Deputy Gullion and Deputy Aviles, who was trying to free his colleague. She then shifted into drive, dragging the deputy a few more feet before he finally broke free.
- Jumping for Safety: Safely out of the window, the deputies attempted to block her escape by standing in front of the vehicle. McGinnis allegedly accelerated directly toward them, forcing multiple deputies to jump out of the way to avoid being crushed before she sped away, reportedly striking the courthouse building in the process.
The Flock Camera Hunt and Parking Lot Arrest
A “Be On the Lookout” (BOLO) alert was immediately issued to area law enforcement. Within minutes, a city Flock license plate reader flagged the suspect’s vehicle traveling northbound on Bridge Street near Stewart Road. An off-duty officer spotted the white Toyota parked and unoccupied in front of the Harbor Freight at 1075 N. Bridge Street.
When Chillicothe Officers Wright and Hallam arrived at the scene, they noted fresh front-end damage on the passenger side of the vehicle. Moments later, they heard a female screaming from the neighboring Aldi parking lot.
McGinnis was walking toward the officers, yelling, “What are you going to do, tow my car and cost me another $300?” When asked for her name, she shouted back, “Pammy Jean.”
Violent Resistance Continues
When ordered to approach the officers, McGinnis refused and began backpedaling with her fists tightly clenched.
According to the report, as Officer Hallam reached out to grab her wrist, McGinnis shifted her body to strike the officer with her left fist—which was tightly gripping her car key with the metal blade protruding from her fingers.
Officer Wright immediately executed a rear body lock, safely taking McGinnis to the ground face-down. She continued to fight, pinning her arms beneath her chest to avoid being handcuffed. Officers had to utilize joint manipulation on her hand to force her to release the car key.
The defiance did not stop once she was in handcuffs. McGinnis refused to put her feet inside the cruiser, forcing an officer to pull her in from the opposite door. While en route back to the jail, she began violently kicking the rear partition glass of the cruiser. Fearing she would shatter the window or injure herself, Officer Wright activated his emergency lights and sirens to expedite the transport.
Upon arriving at the Ross County Jail, McGinnis was escorted inside by corrections staff and secured in a restraint chair. No visible injuries were reported from the chaotic sequence of events.
