Wayne County Sheriff, Thomas Ballinger, and a Sergeant were both stabbed by a suspect on Tuesday and were taken to the hospital. The Sheriff's Office said, they were responding to a call of a suspicious person. The suspect was taken into custody. The Sheriff was taken to the hospital in Wooster for his injuries, while the Sergeant was taken by life flight to a hospital in Akron. Both have now been released and are recovering.
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Critical Incident Press Release
Today, May 12th, 2026, at 9:42 AM, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office started receiving multiple calls regarding a suspicious person in the area of South Maple Street, Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio. One caller reported he had brief but concerning interaction with the suspicious person prior to contacting the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Witnesses reported that the suspicious person walked eastbound on SR-604 toward Congress Road, within Congress Township.
Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate the suspicious person, matching the description given, in the 9000 block of Congress Road. Upon deputies contacting the suspicious person, he failed to comply with orders given, quickly brandished a knife, and stabbed two deputies before fleeing on foot out of sight. Multiple law enforcement agencies from the surrounding areas then responded to the incident location, establishing a perimeter, while assisting with the search and apprehension of the suspect. Through investigative tactics, the suspect’s location was determined. Properly trained tactical teams were deployed to the suspect’s location and affected the arrest of the suspect without incident. The suspect was identified as 34-year-old Chad Alan Palmer. Palmer was transported to the Ashland County Jail pending the completion of the investigation. He faces multiple serious charges.
The deputies involved sustained injuries needing emergency medical attention. Both deputies were initially transported to Wooster Community Hospital for treatment. One deputy was Life Flighted to Summa Health Systems (Akron City Hospital) for further treatment. Both deputies have since been released from the hospital and are now recovering.
Wayne County Sheriff’s Office