What sounded like a serious emergency early in the morning turned into a long and complicated day for deputies in Lucasville.
Around 6 a.m., a man called 911 claiming multiple people were inside his home tearing it apart. He told dispatch not to send anyone right away and asked them to wait until daylight so the damage could be seen. He also insisted he wasn’t under the influence and needed help—just not immediately.
He later called back reporting a fire at the home.
When deputies finally arrived, they found no fire and no one else inside.
But the calls didn’t stop.
Around 8:30 p.m., the same man called again, this time saying he had suffered chemical burns from an attack. Deputies responded and began to suspect they were dealing with a mental health situation.
About an hour later, another call came in. The man again reported someone had broken into his home and thrown chemicals on him and his dogs. He showed deputies red marks on his skin, which he believed were burns.
As deputies spoke with him, he made additional claims that people were hiding in his attic and possibly inside a bedroom. He said he could tell they were there because his ceiling fan was moving. He also claimed his flooring had been torn up.
Deputies checked the home and did not find any signs of a break-in or other people inside. They believed the damage to the home had been done by the man himself.
While waiting for EMS to arrive, the situation escalated. The man made statements about firing a gun into the floor and made concerning comments about harming others.
At that point, deputies and EMS determined he was a danger to himself or others and needed to be taken in for evaluation.
When deputies tried to bring him outside, he resisted and attempted to go back into the house. He was detained, and during that process, he told deputies he had drugs in his pockets. Deputies recovered a bag containing a white crystal-like substance along with marijuana.
He was then transported by EMS to the hospital for further evaluation. Deputies also made sure medical staff were aware of the statements he had made during the incident.
No one else was found inside the home, and no fire or chemical attack was confirmed.
Situations like this can be dangerous and unpredictable. If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis, reaching out early can make a big difference—and help prevent things from escalating this far.
