SCIOTO TOWNSHIP — A Scioto Township trustee was arrested and led out of an official public meeting in handcuffs following allegations that he interfered with a multi-vehicle traffic stop in Franklin County.
According to police reports and Franklin County Municipal Court records, Trustee Cory Wasmus faces criminal charges stemming from an incident on September 19, 2026, near the intersection of Harrisburg and Georgesville roads. Wasmus is scheduled to be arraigned on October 27, 2026, in Franklin County Municipal Court.
The charges were filed by Harrisburg Police Chief John Murphy, a veteran law enforcement officer known regionally for a high-profile legal battle in nearby Commercial Point. In that previous feud, Murphy arrested then-Mayor Gary Joiner on charges including littering, coercion, and trespassing. Although Murphy subsequently won a civil lawsuit against the village and returned to duty, he faced termination once again after filing a second lawsuit against Commercial Point officials before becoming chief in the village.
The current charges against Trustee Wasmus stem from a traffic stop Murphy conducted on nearly a dozen motorcycles for alleged violations of speeding through town and not stopping for stop signs. The report claims that Wasmus arrived at the scene from the opposite direction, stopped his vehicle in the roadway, and inserted himself into the active investigation by making several statements to the stopped riders.
Chief Murphy instructed Wasmus to clear the road and stop impeding official police business. Instead, Wasmus reportedly argued with the chief. According to the incident report, the trustee’s intervention caused the group of motorcyclists to become aggressive toward law enforcement. Two riders fled the scene during the commotion, while a third was warned for escalating behavior.
Chief Murphy explained that he refrained from arresting Wasmus at the scene to de-escalate a volatile officer-safety situation involving a large group of hostile individuals.
On September 30, 2026, Chief Murphy formally filed charges against Wasmus in Franklin County Municipal Court, including:
- Impeding Traffic / Slow Speed (ORC 4511.22): Prohibiting driving at an unreasonably slow speed or stopping in a manner that blocks normal traffic flow.
- Interference with a Peace Officer (ORC 4513.36): Prohibiting resisting, hindering, obstructing, or abusing an officer enforcing traffic laws.
- Obstructing Official Business (ORC 2921.31): Prohibiting affirmative acts intended to hamper or delay a public official performing their lawful duties.
The Chief executed the arrest warrant during a public township trustee meeting, placing Wasmus under arrest and escorting him from the building in handcuffs. Wasmus is scheduled to make his initial court appearance for his arraignment on October 27, 2026.
