Tremont City Village Council candidate Richard Nichols is facing felonious assault, domestic violence, and aggravated menacing charges after authorities say he fired a handgun during a violent confrontation with his son and his son's girlfriend, then attacked his son with a shovel. Nichols was arrested following the incident, which unfolded at a residence on the 60 block of West Main Street on Friday afternoon.
Clark County sheriff's deputies responded to a weapons call at the home just before 4 p.m. Friday, according to the Springfield News-Sun. The residence is shared by Nichols, his son Trevor Nichols, and Kathryn Walsh, and the newspaper reports the dispute began when Nichols allegedly confronted Trevor with a handgun and threatened to shoot the family's dogs if they came near him. Trevor reportedly put the dogs into a backyard kennel before the situation escalated further.
Gun Pointed, Then a Struggle on the Ground
According to the account relayed by the outlet, Nichols pointed the handgun into the air and fired a single shot. Walsh began recording the confrontation on her cellphone, capturing audio of the gunshot and three people yelling, the report states. Nichols then allegedly grabbed Walsh's phone and pointed the handgun at her head. The report states he walked toward Walsh with the gun pointed at the ground and appeared to fight her.
Trevor's account reportedly corroborated Walsh's version of events. Nichols allegedly pinned Walsh to the ground and struck her while still holding the firearm. Trevor intervened, hitting his father and wrestling the gun away before securing it inside the house, per the same account. During the struggle, Nichols reportedly struck his head on the corner of a metal trailer.
Shovel Attack Before Officers Arrived
Rather than the confrontation ending there, Nichols allegedly grabbed a shovel and charged at Trevor while swinging it. Trevor managed to wrestle the shovel away from him, the newspaper's report states. German Township police officers arrived first at the scene, ahead of Clark County sheriff's deputies.
Officers separated the three individuals and secured the firearm, which had one spent shell casing, the article notes. Walsh was treated at the scene for several lacerations but declined transport to the hospital. Nichols was evaluated for a head laceration and refused further medical treatment at the time, though he was later transported to Kettering Health for evaluation before being booked back into the Clark County jail, the report states.
Felony Charges and Potential Prison Time
Nichols faces charges of felonious assault, domestic violence, and aggravated menacing. Under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.11, felonious assault involving a deadly weapon is a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of up to eight years in prison and fines as high as $15,000, according to Ohio Laws. Aggravated menacing is also among the charges Nichols faces.
Nichols is charged with domestic violence and is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Wednesday in Clark County Municipal Court.
A Council Seat, a Six-Member Body, and What Comes Next
Nichols ran as an at-large candidate for the Tremont City Village Council in the November 2025 general election, according to Ballotpedia. He serves on the village's Finance, Parks and Recreation, Streets, Sidewalks, Drains, Ditches, and Veteran's Park committees, per the Village of Tremont City. Erin Nichols also sits on the same six-member council, holding assignments on the Finance, Parks and Recreation, and Safety committees — a family overlap on a legislative body that typically has just six elected seats.
The Springfield News-Sun reported it reached out to the Tremont City Village Council for comment on the charges against Nichols.
Tremont City, in Clark County, had 352 residents in 2020, according to Ballotpedia.
