CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A 2023 OVI case in Chillicothe Municipal Court is moving forward again after court records show the defendant was taken into custody more than three years after the original traffic stop.
According to court records, Stephan Ryan Coleman, of Columbus, was charged following a June 23, 2023 traffic stop by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper. The case lists the charge as OVI/Refusal, a first-degree misdemeanor under Ohio Revised Code 4511.19(A)(2).
Coleman initially entered a not guilty plea and was released on his own recognizance in July 2023. Court records show his defense filed a jury demand, discovery demand and a motion to preserve evidence.
The case subsequently stalled after Coleman failed to appear for a scheduled court proceeding in August 2023. A warrant was issued for failure to appear. The docket shows that warrant was later recalled in January 2025 after being served as a summons, with Coleman ordered to appear for a January 17 hearing.
Records indicate Coleman again failed to appear on January 17, 2025. The court ordered another warrant and set a $5,000 bond, with the docket specifically stating the warrant was not to be treated as a summons.
That warrant remained outstanding until September 8, 2026, when court records show it was served and Coleman was committed to jail. The docket also lists a hearing for that same morning.
A Ross County Jail booking record shows Coleman was booked into the facility on September 8. The underlying OVI case remains listed as pending, meaning the charge has not resulted in a final determination of guilt based on the records provided.
Coleman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
