CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Ross County deputy faces two drunken driving charges just a week apart after crashing his pickup truck into a tree, state troopers said. The Judge sitting on his cases has raised questions about impropriety.
Peter “Pete” M. Shaw, 47, of U.S. Highway 50, is a retired Chillicothe police officer and current auxiliary deputy with the Ross County Sheriff’s Office. He also owns the Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurant on Bridge Street in Chillicothe.
Shaw admitted to Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers that he had consumed six beers before the crash last Thursday along Maple Grove Road, according to a crash report. His 2022 Ram pickup struck a tree in a yard, deploying the airbags.
Troopers found Shaw in the back of an ambulance at the scene, apparently uninjured. They detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the ambulance and located an unopened beer can inside the truck. Several shotgun slugs were scattered in the cab, but troopers did not find a firearm.
Shaw refused a field sobriety test and breathalyzer. Troopers noted his dilated, glossy eyes and other signs of impairment.
When asked for his driver’s license, Shaw told troopers it was already under suspension, the report said. State Patrol records showed no prior drunken driving conviction for Shaw. However, court records indicate he was charged with drunken driving in Ross County just a week earlier after refusing a breath test in that incident. Because he had not yet appeared in court, his license were automatically suspended under Ohio’s implied consent law.
Both cases have been assigned to Chillicothe Municipal Court Judge Keith Washburn, a former Chillicothe police chief who worked with Shaw for more than 20 years and was his supervisor. Washburn and Shaw both retired from the department and later became involved in Amazon delivery services around the same time. Photos reviewed by the Guardian show the two on several vacations together. Court appearances are pending.
Washburn was appointed to the bench earlier this year by Governor Mike DeWine, at the request of the local Republican Party. When it came time to file for re-election to fill the seat Washburn chose to file as an Independent just months after his appointment; a slap into the face of the local party, according to Republican central committee members.
Washburn also faced a state bar disciplinary investigation in the Spring after he was accused of knowingly allowing a client to lie under oath during a hearing right before his judicial appointment; The Judge will appear on next month’s general election ballot.
Messages left with the Ross County Sheriff’s Office seeking comment on Shaw’s status as an auxiliary deputy were not returned. Shaw also did not respond to a request for comment.