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MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr is being sued by a resident who says Starr made false statements that caused intentional emotional distress.
Greg Culbertson, of Martinsburg Road, filed the lawsuit in Knox County Common Pleas Court on June 4.
Culbertson alleges Starr made the comments at the Knox County Chamber of Commerce’s grand opening event on Oct. 21, 2025. He is asking for more than $58 million in damages.
Starr denies the allegations.
According to court documents, Culbertson alleges that Starr told Knox County Commissioner Bill Pursel that Culbertson had threatened to physically harm and threatened the lives of staff and officials of the City of Mount Vernon.
Culbertson also alleges that Starr said Culbertson’s father made negative and damaging comments about the city and its staff on social media.
The suit states that on Oct. 24, 2025, Pursel repeated Starr’s statements during a meeting with Culbertson and County Commissioner Barry Lester.
The suit includes two counts: defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Culbertson’s complaint states that Starr’s comments “impute criminal conduct and violent behavior to plaintiff and therefore constitute defamation per se under Ohio law.”
He alleges “defendant acted negligently in publishing the statements, acted with malice by publishing statements he knew were false or with reckless disregard for their truth.”
Culbertson claims he suffered damages, including injury to reputation, humiliation and embarrassment, damage to personal and professional relationships, and increased scrutiny and reputational harm within the community.
Additionally, Culbertson claims Starr’s conduct was “intentional or reckless and that he knew or should have known such allegations would likely cause severe emotional distress and reputational harm if communicated to third parties.”
Culbertson alleges Starr’s conduct caused him severe emotional distress, including anxiety, humiliation, fear of reputational harm and ongoing mental anguish.
Common Pleas Judge Richard Wetzel gave Starr until Oct. 1 to file a response to avoid a judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
Starr did not do so, and Wetzel granted judgment to Culbertson on Oct. 16. Wetzel set an oral hearing on damages for Nov. 19.
However, Culbertson also filed suit against City Law Director Rob Broeren. Broeren now cannot represent Starr because doing so would create a conflict of interest.
Starr had to find outside counsel, which delayed his response to the court’s order.
Wetzel set aside the judgment and canceled the Nov. 19 hearing.
