Two days after that alleged incident, Bradley Baugh was let go by the township.The former Springfield firefighter lost his job after he was accused of sharing a social media post with a racial slur in it.
RELATED : Artis is second firefighter accused of making racial slurs
German Twp. has said will soon have the mandatory training for all employees, including police, fire, trustees, maintenance and office staff. The township’s fire and EMS chief, Tim Holman, said he is disappointed in the recent alleged behavior.
“I will write up formal charges (by the township against Artis), if he is convicted, then those charges will go to the trustees,” Holman said.
Holman will present to trustees at a hearing. Artis is on paid, administrative leave and will remain that way until after his court case, Holman said.
Artis was initially charged with three counts of ethnic intimidation and three counts of aggravated menacing. The latter charges were later dropped.
Artis has said he is innocent and pleaded not guilty. He was unavailable to comment on the indictment.
Police began their investigation on April 9 when they were dispatched to a home on the 1800 block Norwood Avenue in Springfield.
“Dispatch advised that the caller/victim was with a tree service company,” an affidavit says. “They were trimming a tree when a white male began yelling racial slurs and pulled out a gun.”
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The officers met with the men, who said they were sub-contractors working for Ohio Edison trimming trees around power lines, the affidavit says. While trimming trees on Norwood Avenue, the men said a man came outside to ask what they were doing.
“The victims advised that Mr. Artis got upset with how they were trimming the tree and advised them they needed to trim the tree a different way,” the affidavit says.
The victims said Artis began using racial slurs, according to the affidavit.
Officers then went to the home and found Artis leaving the home. He denied using a racial slur.
“He stated he was unsure if the victims were actually with a tree company or not,” the affidavit says. “Mr. Artis stated he was upset with the way that the victims were trimming his tree. Mr. Artis later stated that he knew they were a tree company because they were working around the corner last week.”
Shortly after the alleged slurs, one of the tree trimmers said he swore at Artis, the affidavit says.
“The victims stated shortly after, Mr. Artis went into the home and retrieved a black shotgun,” the report says. “Mr. Artis stood in the doorway holding the shotgun while looking at the victims. The victims advised they feared for their lives and left the area.”
Artis also denied brandishing a shotgun, saying that he was only moving it from the top of a refrigerator to his bedroom, the report says.
Officers entered the home and found the shotgun, the affidavit says, and the gun was loaded.
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