RUSHTOWN, OH — A disturbing situation unfolded at a local cemetery after a family reported a relative appeared to be suffering a mental health crisis and had become combative.
Officers were called to the Rushtown cemetery after a woman reported a male relative was experiencing what she described as a mental break and was fighting with both her and her son.
Scioto County Sheriff’s deputies responded and detained the man at the scene.
🚨 Erratic Behavior Prompts Extra Response
According to the report, deputies became concerned enough about the man’s behavior that they requested:
- An additional deputy
- And an ambulance
Authorities described the man as behaving erratically during the incident.
Because of the situation, an officer actually rode inside the ambulance with the man while he was transported for medical treatment.
Security personnel at Southern Ohio Medical Center were also notified ahead of time to expect the patient.
⚠️ Mental Health Calls Continue Rising
Law enforcement agencies across the region say calls involving mental health crises continue to increase, often placing deputies in situations where they must rapidly shift from enforcement to crisis management.
In many cases, officers are tasked with:
- Protecting family members
- De-escalating volatile situations
- Assisting EMS
- And ensuring individuals in crisis receive treatment safely
❗ A Difficult Situation for Families
Incidents like this are often traumatic for relatives, especially when the crisis unfolds publicly or becomes physically confrontational.
In this case, the situation ended with the man being transported for treatment rather than taken to jail.
But for deputies and first responders, the call was another reminder that many of the most difficult calls they handle are not always criminal cases —
they’re families in crisis.