Lima man gets prison time in city assault
Jul. 14—LIMA — A man who assaulted and inflicted serious physical injuries upon an individual half his size at a Lima gas station last year was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison.
Ryan Plaugher, 35, of Lima, sobbed heavily as he left the courtroom following the hearing.
Plaugher was indicted in November on a second-degree felony count of felonious assault in connection with the incident at the Certified gas station on South Pine Street in Lima. He entered a plea of guilty to the charge in May.
Court records show that Lima police responded to Memorial Health System on the afternoon of Sept. 3, 2021, in reference to the assault. Offices spoke with Douglas Gallaspie, who said Plaugher assaulted him earlier that day.
Gallashie and Plaugher reportedly had argued for a year about money from the sale of a camper. Gallaspie said on the day of the incident Plaugher cornered him inside the gas station and started beating him with a closed fist in the face and head. Plaugher in his pre-sentence report alleged that Gallaspie started the incident, although a witness told police she saw Plaugher punch Gallaspie.
Gallaspie suffered multiple facial fractures and needed surgery to repair the injuries, court documents state.
Plaugher's attorney, Kenneth Rexford, said his client has learned from the incident and is committed to bettering himself.
"I would like to apologize. Honestly I have learned from this," Plaugher told Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Kohlrieser. "I've let my kids down; my whole family down. Give me another chance and you'll never see me again, except for when I come in to tell you 'thank you.' And if you see Doug Gallaspie tell him I'm sorry."
Kohlrieser, however, noted that Plaugher has a long history of convictions, many of them involving violence, starting when he was a juvenile.
"You have got to learn to control your temper," the judge told Plaugher prior to imposing his sentence.
