(5-11-23) Clayton Drew Bower (38) of Minster was indicted on May 4th and has been charged with felony counts of strangulation and domestic violence and a misdemeanor charge of endangering children in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court .

The incident took place in late April. Bower was arrested on May 6th and taken to the Auglaize County Jail. On May 8th in Auglaize Coounty Common Pleas Court he was released on his own recognizance on May 8th.

Bower is set to appear in court on May 19th for a pre-trial hearing.

According to Auglaize County Common Pleas Court website –

05/08/2023 – JOURNAL ENTRY-ORDERS ON BOND AND ARRAIGNMENT FILED- THIS CAUSE CAME BEFORE THE COURT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SETTING BOND THIS MAY 8, 2023. THE DEFENDANT ADVISED THAT HE WOULD BE HIRING LEGAL COUNSEL BUT HAD NOT YET RETAINED ONE. THE DEFENDANT WAS ADVISED THAT HE SHOULD NOTIFY THE COURT WHEN LEGAL COUNSEL HAD BEEN RETAINED, OR REQUEST THE COURT TO APPOINT AN ATTORNEY, ON OR BEFORE MONDAY, MAY 15, 2023 AT 12:00 P.M. THE COURT ON BEHALF OF THE DEFENDANT DID ENTER A NOT GUILTY PLEA AS FOLLOWS:

  • COUNT ONE- A CHARGE OF STRANGULATION, A FELONY OF THE 4TH DEGREE WITHOUT SPECIFICATION–NOT GUILTY.
  • COUNT TWO- A CHARGE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, A MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST DEGREE WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS–NOT GUILTY.
  • COUNT THREE- A CHARGE OF ENDANGERING CHILD, A MISDEMEANOR OF THE 1ST DEGREE WITHOUT SPECIFICATIONS–NOT GUILTY. THE COURT HEREBY ORDERS THAT THE DEFENDANT POST AN OWN RECOGNIZANCE BOND.

THE COURT ORDERS THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR BOND:

  1. THE DEFENDANT SHALL NOTIFY THE COURT BY MONDAY, MAY 15, 2023 AT 12:00 P.M. (NOON) WHOM HE HAS RETAINED FOR LEGAL COUNSEL.
  2. THE DEFENDANT SHALL NOT VIOLATE THE LAW AND SHALL NOT LEAVE THE STATE OF OHIO WITHOUT OBTAINING WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THIS COURT;
  3. THE DEFENDANT SHALL NOT COMMIT ANY CRIMINAL OR TRAFFIC OFFENSE THAT CARRIES THE POTENTIAL OF A JAIL OR PENITENTIARY SENTENCE;
  4. THE DEFENDANT SHALL HAVE NO CONTACT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY WITH THE VICTIM EXCEPT AS APPROVED IN A PLAN THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CHILDREN SERVICE AGENCY.

05/09/2023 JOURNAL ENTRY – APPOINTING PUBLIC DEFENDER FILED. THE COURT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE DEFENDANT IS NOW REQUESTING AN ATTORNEY IN THIS MATTER. THE COURT FINDS THAT THE DEFENDANT IS INDIGENT AND THE COURT APPOINTS THE AUGLAIZE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER AS DEFENSE COUNSEL. THE DEFENDANT SHALL CONTACT THE AUGLAIZE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE