Driver accused of fatally striking deputy is father of man who was killed in recent police shooting

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) - Cincinnati police say a man accused of hitting and killing a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy on Friday is now charged with aggravated murder.

Police Chief Teresa Theetge said Rodney Hinton Jr. is the father of an 18-year-old who was killed in an officer-involved shooting on Thursday in East Price Hill.

The deputy who was struck Friday was outside of his vehicle helping manage traffic at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Burnet Woods Drive when a car hit him, Cincinnati police Lt. John Cunningham said.

The deputy later died at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, according to police.

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said through tears that the deputy retired several months ago, but has been working as a special deputy since.

“I knew the man and I knew what a tremendous, tremendous person he is and what tremendous loss we have all suffered,” the sheriff said.

She added that the deputy was “so well-liked and so well-known,” the building where officials held a Friday press conference could be filled with his friends and family that “respect him, love him.”

Theetge said her heart goes out to the deputy’s loved ones and she wants people to know “the officer was just out doing his job.”

Cincinnati police identified the man killed in Thursday’s officer-involved shooting as 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, according to Cunningham.

Police say the 18-year-old was one of four people who were inside a stolen vehicle that was found in a parking lot on Warsaw Avenue in East Price Hill.

All four took off running and two were later taken into custody, police said.

One of the suspects who was still on the run pointed a handgun at police, according to Officer Ken Kober. He is the president of the union that represents Cincinnati police.

The officer shot at the armed suspect, who has since been identified as the 18-year-old Hinton. The police chief said he died from his injuries.