CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Chillicothe man was found dead on Sunday, but it is the circumstances surrounding his death that have raised questions.
According to the family, the man was identified as James Hunt of Chillicothe.
On Saturday, 9-1-1 dispatchers received multiple calls from the EZ-Mart gas station on South Bridge Street. Multiple people attempted to wake Hunt up who, according to reports, was passed out behind the wheel of his van at a gas pump.
Two Ross County deputies responded to the scene along with medics from Scioto Township shortly after 2 p.m. The deputies reported that the man was alright and was exhausted. The Sheriff’s Office told Hunt to rest and move his vehicle from the pumps to the corner of the parking lot.
At around 6:30 p.m. Saturday evening, 9-1-1 received an additional call about a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of the gas station. A deputy made contact with Hunt, who once again said he was tired. The deputy left the scene and said there was nothing further. Witnesses told the Guardian that they saw the driver of the van slumped over the steering wheel immediately after the deputy left.
The next day, at around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, deputies with the sheriff’s office were once again called to the gas station. This time it was for a possible deceased individual. Upon arrival, reports say, deputies discovered Hunt — the same man from the previous calls — had died. His body was slumped over in the driver’s seat. Multiple deputies responded, along with the Ross County Coroner’s Office to begin an investigation. The Guardian reached out to the Coroner’s Office for details, who could not comment.
Here’s what we know:
The Ross County Sheriff’s Office checked on two occasions. Witnesses told the Guardian that the man appeared to be in distress. After each encounter, deputies radioed to dispatchers that the person was fine and there was no need for anything further. Saturday evening was the last time the man was seen alive.
Questions regarding the timeline of events and the response by deputies have been raised by many. The Guardian reached out to Sheriff George Lavender for comment, but as of press time, he has not returned a request for comment.
The case remains under investigation.