Ad Disclosure
Report: Ohio State investigators have talked to local police in Urban Meyer probe
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Some of the first developments of the independent investigation into the Ohio State football program and athletic department’s handling of domestic abuse allegations against former Buckeyes assistant Zach Smith have emerged in a report by ESPN.
According to Dan Murphy, investigators have spoken to Powell, Ohio police as well as OSU athletic department officials. Powell Chief of Police Gary Vest confirmed to Murphy that the department has had “preliminary” conversations with investigators and the department is “willing to help as much as the law will allow.”
Powell police visited with Courtney Smith on multiple occasions when she complained of habitual domestic violence and stalking in the fall of 2015. Vest told ESPN that because neither investigation resulted in a charge or arrest, he would not discuss the results of those investigations. Murphy’s report notes that Vest denied OSU investigators access to the reports because they were not public record (because of no arrest or charge).
Earlier this week, Courtney Smith volunteered to speak to OSU investigators in a statement made by her attorney.
A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.