Rastin Tower Tragedy

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a series of events that took place beginning on the morning of Wednesday, June 20, 2018, at approximately 8:20 am. A report was received of a truck driving at a high rate of speed on West Gambier Street in the area of Park Street in Mount Vernon. At approximately the same time, the dispatch center was receiving information concerning an abandoned vehicle and a stolen vehicle from a location on Sycamore Road.

The stolen vehicle description was similar to the vehicle that was spotted at a high rate of speed. Reports were received a few minutes later of the driver being involved in an altercation with someone on West Gambier Street. The truck was then observed driving on West High Street toward Harcourt Road. At approximately 8:34 am officers received information that a truck had crashed on Pittsburgh Avenue, and the male driver fled on foot.

At approximately 8:40 am a male was observed jumping from the tower at Foundation Park. The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Ricky D. Snyder Jr., from Newark, Ohio. Mr. Snyder was also the registered owner of the vehicle that was discovered abandon on Sycamore Road. The Mount Vernon Police Department and Knox County Coroner’s Office are assisting in the investigation.