Yauger, Jr. v. Greene County Sheriffs Office et al

On June 15, 2023, deputies from the Greene County Sheriff's Office responded to a domestic disturbance call in Fairborn, Ohio. During the encounter, Michael Yauger, Jr., a 34-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis, was subdued with tasers and physical restraints. He lost consciousness and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined the cause of death as positional asphyxia. The family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on July 22, 2024, alleging excessive force, failure to provide medical care, and supervisory negligence against the office and involved deputies. The complaint asserts violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments and seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

The case is currently in the pre-trial discovery phase as of early 2025. A motion to dismiss based on qualified immunity filed by the defendants is pending before the court. No trial date has been set.

Whether the deputies' use of force was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances; whether the force used constituted a clearly established constitutional violation sufficient to overcome qualified immunity; and whether the sheriff's office failed to properly train and supervise its deputies in handling mental health crises and de-escalation techniques.

The case has intensified public scrutiny of police responses to mental health emergencies in Greene County. Local advocacy groups have organized protests demanding independent investigation and an end to qualified immunity. It has fueled legislative discussions in Ohio about mandatory crisis intervention training and greater oversight of sheriff's departments.