DELAWARE-Mount Vernon native and OSU football great Jim Stillwagon was acquitted of felonious assault in a Delaware county courtroom by Judge Duncan Whitney Friday morning. The charged stemmed from what had been termed a “road rage” incident over a year ago.
Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O’Brien issued a statement about the acquittal saying, “We strongly disagree with the decision of Judge Whitney,” and “As a result, Mr. Stillwagon’s conduct will not be judged by a jury of his peers.”
On the afternoon of Sunday, September 30, 2012, the Delaware Police Department responded to multiple reports of shots fired in the area of 137 E. William St. The first responding officers located one victim who had been shot in the head, as well as a suspect on the scene. The suspect was taken into custody without incident by members of the Delaware Police Department and the Delaware County S.O. This incident appeared to be a case of road rage that involved the drivers of a pick-up truck and motorcycle that began on U.S. 42 in the area of U.S. 33. The ongoing incident escalated on the U.S. 23 off ramp at E. William St., where the motorcycle driver, James Stillwagon, fired shots from a handgun at the pickup truck. The pick-up truck, driven by Richard Mattingly, turned onto William St. then into the parking lot at 137 E. William St., where additional shots were fired at him and his vehicle. The suspect, James Stillwagon, 63, of Columbus, Ohio was charged with one count of Felonious Assault. The victim, Richard Mattingly, 41, of Kettering, Ohio was flown by medical helicopter to O.S.U., where he was treated and then checked himself out.
Stillwagon is a native of Mount Vernon and played football for OSU. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.
