Ontario official cleared of wrongdoing after investigation

ONTARIO — Ontario's safety service director was placed on paid administrative leave in May after he responded to a text from a prominent citizen asking him to come to their disabled car after a tire fell off, instead of calling police.

Some city employees raised concerns over the way the case was handled and the possibility that the driver, a longtime friend of Safety Service Director Kris Knapp, might have been impaired when they texted the city official, who was in bed for the night, to come to Shangri La Drive about 10 p.m. May 11 regarding their disabled Mercedes G-Wagon.

The News Journal obtained the investigative report conducted by Ontario police via a public records request to the city. The name of the citizen, who was described as wealthy and well-known, was redacted in the documents provided to the News Journal.

The police chief and mayor were made aware of Knapp's actions that night by a city employee.

Review and findings of internal investigation

When all was said and done, Ontario police Capt. Rob Griefenstine said in his internal investigation report that "this complaint was based completely on theories, accusations and allegations with no facts to support it. Those who were interviewed provided no evidence, or facts as none of them were present. The facts prove no misconduct on the part of Safety Service Director Kris Knapp."

Knapp, who became the safety-service director last year, oversees the Ontario Police Department.

Griefenstine said he reviewed the incident on May 16.

"In that review, I looked at the circumstances along with the body cam video and in my conclusion, there was no wrongdoing by Officer (Joshua) Rivers, Kris Knapp or the (redacted name) in my original or internal review," he added.

Knapp was reinstated after being on paid leave for two weeks.

While reaching out for comment from Knapp by phone and email, the mayor referred the News Journal to the law director, who replied back to an email, "My response is to direct you to the city’s response to your public records request." That letter, dated July 6, contained no narrative or comments, but simply stated that a redacted copy of the documentation and video requested was enclosed and detailed when Knapp was on paid administrative leave.

Knapp is longtime friend of vehicle's owner

Knapp said he has been friends with the car's owner for 20-plus years and that it was not uncommon for the resident to look to him for assistance, according to the report.

Knapp said that while he was on his way to Shangri La Drive the night of May 11 he saw Ontario police officer Joshua Rivers' cruiser parked at the Humane Society of Richland County and asked him to assist with a vehicle that was broken down.

The unidentified owner of the Mercedes told Knapp they believed someone had tampered with their vehicle, telling the service-safety director that they were concerned someone was trying to get to them because of their wealth. A witness later told police they saw two people get out of the Mercedes. The vehicle owner told Knapp that "they" were OK and had walked home after the wheel came off the Mercedes.

According to the investigation, a mechanic at Mansfield Motor Group who had serviced the vehicle forgot to tighten the lug nuts with tools. After tightening the lug nuts only by hand, the mechanic got distracted with work on another vehicle and returned to the Mercedes forgetting what steps he had completed.

Police contacted several residents in the area of Shangri La and Alexander Drive to check for any security cameras or videos of the incident.

Police chief learns of incident from city worker

Ontario police Chief Tommy Hill was on vacation from May 11 to May 19. According to the investigation report, he said he had received an email May 17 from the city's Clerk of Courts Janet Yeager-Swain asking for a short, 15-minute meeting but adding that it was not an emergency.

"... Janet advised that our midnight officers were talking about this and it was blowing up," Hill said. She noted to the chief that it is illegal for a person to leave the scene of accident in which they were involved, but Hill said "I was aware this was a disabled vehicle and not an accident. So I advised that you can leave a vehicle that is broken down to get help and that this is not the same as leaving the scene."

Hill said in his statement that the gist of Yeager-Swain's email and phone call was to report a possible coverup of an impaired driver by Knapp, and that it was being heatedly discussed at the police station and something needed to be done about it.

"I also recall there being a statement that Service Director Knapp ordered our people to get a tow truck for the vehicle," Hill said.

He said someone in the police department apparently violated department policy by discussing the May 11 incident with a city employee.

"It is apparent that someone who was unauthorized to do so shared potential facts of a case to the administrative side of the hall which is outside and against our policies," Hill said. "Investigative information or possible investigative material is treated as confidential information and cannot be shared outside of this agency. If someone felt there was anything more to investigate it should have been forwarded to their watch commanders to be given to the investigative bureau. If someone felt there was a policy violation of any city employee, policy dictates to immediately report this to your acting watch commander to be shared up the chain of command.

"Unfortunately, we have developed a pattern of employees sharing this information with the administrative side or otherwise sharing it with individuals outside of the police department," Hill said. When this happens, it interferes with the operation of the department. After an investigation is closed or otherwise qualifies as a public record it is okay to share it. But in any situation where an investigation is likely to be instituted no information can be shared by a member of this department outside the department."

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @Whitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Ontario official placed on leave, cleared after investigation