By FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

The case of a man charged with assaulting an off-duty police officer might be going directly to a Scioto County grand jury.

Jody McGuire, 43, of Portsmouth was in the Portsmouth Municipal Courtroom of Judge Steven Mowery on Thursday morning awaiting a hearing on a charge of assault on New Boston Police Officer Kevin Lewis. But during a recess, a court spokesman announced the charge would be dropped in Municipal Court and transferred to Scioto County Common Pleas Court, should Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn decide to pass it to the grand jury.

Capt. Steve Goins of the New Boston Police Department said, according to a report by Lewis, McGuire was in a car that was parked across his driveway Dec. 29, and after a argument with McGuire’s wife, and after identifying himself as a police officer, he was attacked by McGuire.

Goins said Thursday the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation has not been called in, but if further investigation would be needed that agency would be called for an independent investigation. He said there is no reason, however, for an investigation at this time.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com.