Saturday, October 11th, 2025
Man sentenced for fleeing Auglaize courthouse
By Abigail Miller
WAPAKONETA - A 37-year-old man who jumped out of an Auglaize County courthouse window and led authorities on a multi-county, 60-mile pursuit in February was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison last week.
Nathaniel Nix Jr. was sentenced to 9 1/2 to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $680.93 on Sept. 30 in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court on one count of felonious assault, a second degree felony; fleeing and eluding, a third degree felony; obstructing official business, a fifth degree felony; and vandalism, a fifth degree felony. He received 234 days credit for time served.
He was originally indicted on one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony; assault on a peace officer, a fourth-degree felony; escape, a third-degree felony; two counts of feeing and eluding, a third-degree felony; obstructing official business, a fifth-degree felony; vandalism, a fifth-degree felony; and resisting arrest, a fourth-degree felony.
The charges were amended due to a negotiated plea agreement that was filed just before his sentencing on Sept. 30.
The charges stem from an incident on Feb. 4, in which Nix was arraigned on, and pleaded not guilty to, two counts of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony; and falsification, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The court initially continued bond as previously set in Auglaize County Municipal Court, provided Nix submit to drug testing that day.
After testing positive for alcohol, marijuana and amphetamine, the court went back on record, terminated Nix's bond and ordered him into the custody of the sheriff for reconsideration of bond after he tests clean.
Against direct orders to remain seated, Nix then broke out a courthouse window, jumped through it and fled on foot. Deputies spotted Nix in the courthouse parking lot and attempted to place him into custody.
Nix, however, was able to get in his vehicle and accelerated in an attempt to flee. A deputy attempting to remove him from the vehicle was briefly dragged, sustaining minor injuries.
A traffic pursuit ensued through the streets of Wapakoneta, onto Interstate 75 and through multiple jurisdictions until Nix's vehicle reportedly became mechanically disabled in Wood County. Nix was then taken into custody without further incident, transported to the Wood County jail and later transferred to the Auglaize County Jail.
He is currently being held in prison intake at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient.
