A troubled man with a long arrest record kept officers busy over the weekend.
The first call came in just before 4 am on Saturday when a caller reported a man dressed all in black sitting on the railroad tracks near 11th and Gallia. They said the man was talking to himself. He left the scene, but an officer caught up with him at Burger King.
Police are very familiar with the man, Keith Estep, who has a long history of causing public disturbances. He told officers he was just singing and dancing down by the train tracks. Police advised him about the complaint.
Early Sunday morning, a Speedway employee contacted police to report the same man was on their property. The store had previously barred him for his aggressive panhandling tactics. However, he left before the police arrived.
Later that day, a witness reported the troubled man lying on the gravel roadway beneath the Young Street Overpass. When officers arrived on the scene, they took him into custody for disorderly conduct. This is his 32nd arrest and his 9th arrest of 2022.
Per the court, he was released the same day.
*Law Enforcement does not determine bond amounts, jail terms, or release dates. Those are determined by the courts.
Publisher’s note.
Just 2 hours after this article was published, it was reported that Estep was found dead near a business on Gallia Street.
A source familiar with the situation told SCDN “He was clearly in desperate shape, but law enforcement seemed fine with allowing him to sleep under the overpass and wander the streets”.
County officials have repeatedly said that too many people are in jail that actually need mental health services. Yet, inpatient mental health treatment is not available locally.
When is enough, enough? How many preventable deaths are we willing to accept? Local, or regional, inpatient mental health services should be priority number one for local decision makers.
Many have argued that mental health is not a profitable venture for hospitals. The majority of mental health hospitals, however, are operated by large companies.
Who is calling them? Who is showcasing our area and encouraging them that this region is a worthwhile investment? Who actually cares enough about Scioto County to bring those decision-makers and CEOs to see our available properties?
If a part of your job includes public safety, economic development, or the mental health services boards: Get off your asses and bring these services to our region.