LEBANON — An off-duty Warren County deputy was armed with a knife and intoxicated when he and a friend allegedly beat two men in an apparent unprovoked fight early Friday, police reports and witnesses said.

        Rookie Deputy Jason Doerman, 22, of Lebanon, was released from the Hamilton County jail Friday afternoon and is expected to appear today for arraignment on a felony charge of aggravated assault.

        A companion, Robert J. Lehman, a 21-year-old college student from Bridgetown, also posted bail and is scheduled for arraignment today on a charge of assault.

Doerman

Lehman

        A Warren County officer for five months, Deputy Doerman was suspended from his job without pay Friday, Sheriff Tom Ariss said. Deputy Doerman previously worked as a guard and a deputy in court services in Clermont County.

        Deputy Doerman and Mr. Lehman did not return phone calls to their homes Friday.

        Kevin Schmit, 27, of Green Township, who sustained a broken nose, a broken hand and bruises in the fight, identified Mr. Lehman and a third man — who was not charged — as his attackers.

        However, he said Deputy Doerman started the fight when Mr. Schmit and a friend, George King, pulled into Taco Bell in the 6400 block of Glenway Avenue just before 1 a.m.

        “We asked them if Taco Bell was closed and the dude just went nuts,” Mr. Schmit recalled.

        Mr. King said both groups exchanged words, and Mr. King then started to pull out of the parking lot, followed closely by the BMW that Deputy Doerman was riding in.

        Mr. King said Messrs. Doerman and Lehman jumped out of the BMW and followed him when he pulled across the street and got out to check for damage to his pickup because he thought the BMW had hit his vehicle.

        Mr. King said he hopped into the truck and called 911 when he noticed that Deputy Doerman had a knife. He got back out to help Mr. Schmit when he noticed that Deputy Doerman was swinging a knife at his friend.

        “Kevin was backed up against the truck and he was swinging the knife in Kevin's face doing kung fu moves. (Deputy Doerman) said, "You don't want any of this,'” Mr. King said.

        Deputy Doerman's attention then turned to Mr. King, and Mr. King said the deputy dropped his knife inadvertently when he swung it. Police arrived as fists and feet were flying.

        The arresting officers could not be reached Friday to explain why the third man involved in beating Mr. Schmit was not charged.

        Messrs. King and Schmit were ticketed for disorderly conduct.

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