Quantcast
Home | Back

Man kills self after arrest: Rootstown couple faces charges related to growing pot

Share_email E-mail Story    |    Share_print Print Story    |    Comments    |   

Mike Sever
February 24, 2010

 

By Mike Sever

Record-Courier staff writer

ROOTSTOWN — A New Milford Road man killed himself Tuesday morning, hours after being charged with felony child endangering for allegedly growing marijuana in the family home. 

Robert W. Batsch, 55, of 2808 New Milford, was found in the woods behind his home by his wife shortly after noon Tuesday, according to Portage County Sheriff David Doak.

A .22-caliber rifle was found nearby.

By 1 p.m., the driveway and road in front of the Batsch home was crowded with sheriff’s vehicles. 

The well-kept, hundred-year-old home is located eight miles south of Ravenna. Maple trees around the light green home were already hung with containers for maple sap and homemade paper snowflakes were hung in windows. 

The couple bought the home in 1991, according to county court records.

Batsch and his wife, Pamela J. Batsch, 54, were both arrested Monday on warrants for allowing a juvenile to live in the home while they were cultivating marijuana there.

Both were released on 10 percent of $5,000 bond after 5 p.m. Monday.

Both were scheduled for preliminary hearings on Friday before Portage County Municipal Court Judge Barbara Oswick.

The couple faced a maximum prison sentence of one to five years each if convicted on the third-degree felony charges, according to Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci.

There was no information on how large a growing operation the couple allegedly had.

A criminal complaint filed against the couple alleged they had been growing marijuana for 13 years and only ceased when it became known law enforcement was investigating.

Doak said he did not see any evidence of marijuana when he was in the basement of the home.

Batsch was pronounced dead at the scene at 2 p.m. according to the Portage County Coroner’s Office. No autopsy was planned.

 

 




Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed. Recordpub.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.

Login above or Register to comment.
Jump to Page: 1 2 3 ... 9
   Next 10 Comments of 85 Total Comments
85.
    Posted by ksugoldenflash4life April 6, 2010
It is not absurd. It is only illegal because man made it illegal. God, the lord they didn't make it illegal. The only reason the goverment has made it illegal is because they can not control it. Brendarose are you saying that canadians and people from amsterdam are going to hell because they smoke pot even though it is legal there. Come on open your eyes.

84.
    Posted by brendarose1978 March 28, 2010
I am sorry for the family of this man. It is terrible to lose any family member to suicide. But you have to look at the real facts. Somewhere along the line this family has broken the law whether it's growing marijuana or endangering a child. These people may have been good people in the church but sounds like most were blind as to what they were doing in their own home. And for the passage stated by ksugoldenflash4life ....God does not approve of illegal actions. And to think that he would is absurd!

83.
    Posted by hknisley March 6, 2010
These two are/were some of the dearest people I have ever known. I have attended church and bible study with them for years. Just because someone calls in a phoney complaint against you, you're hauled into jail, splatted on the front page of the paper and your reputation ruined. What ever happened to "innocent until proven guilty?" That's why the charges were dropped. No evidence. There was a crime committed, though. It is the loss of the life of a wonderful husband and father. My prayers are with Pam and her family. May they now begin to rebuild their lives.

   Next 10 Comments | Home | Back