Suspect In Trooper’s Shooting To Represent Himself

The man accused of shooting and wounding a state trooper in Findlay last fall has waived his right to counsel and will represent himself at trial.

Court records show Robert Tramaine Hathorn’s jury trial will begin on June 6th in Hancock County Common Pleas Court.

His waiver of right to counsel was filed on Friday.

The waiver points out that Judge Routson believes that it’s not in Hathorn’s best interest to represent himself at trial, and that the waiver of counsel is revocable.

Court records show that an attorney will be appointed by the court to act as standby counsel during the trial.

The 43-year-old from Muskegon, Michigan was previously indicted by a Hancock County Grand Jury on six felony charges, including felonious assault on a peace officer, in connection with an altercation with a state trooper that left the trooper with a gunshot wound.

At his arraignment on October 22nd, Hathorn pleaded not guilty to the six charges in the indictment.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says Hathorn struggled with a trooper during a traffic stop on October 6th along Interstate 75 in Findlay and the trooper’s gun went off, striking the trooper in the lower body.

Hathorn was found the following day in the Blanchard River after an extensive search involving various police agencies.

The Highway Patrol said Trooper Josef Brobst was released from the hospital on October 9th.

The video below is from Hathorn’s arraignment in October.