"He went in on a misdemeanor. He never walked out."
by Logan Andrew, Editor-in-Chief | FreeWire Magazine — Your News, Your Voice
The family of Zachary Marshall, a 35-year-old Bucyrus man who died after nearly two weeks in Richland County Jail, has reached a tentative settlement in a federal wrongful death lawsuit.
Marshall was arrested in early December 2021 on a misdemeanor warrant and transported to the Mansfield jail, where he quickly reported feeling ill. According to the complaint, his condition rapidly deteriorated over the next 13 days, as he displayed worsening signs of infection—high fever, low oxygen levels, bleeding, confusion, and an inability to walk—all of which were allegedly documented or observed by jail staff.
Despite these red flags, the lawsuit claims medical staff failed to provide consistent care. A nurse initially prescribed antibiotics, but later discontinued them altogether, even after Marshall was described by staff as disoriented or mentally impaired. Video evidence reportedly contradicted jail logs claiming that officers conducted medical checks. Eventually, Marshall was moved to isolation and became non-responsive. He was not transported to a hospital until December 18, 2021—by which time it was too late. He died of sepsis on December 22.
His sister, Lacee Bowersox of Bucyrus, filed the lawsuit in November 2023. The suit named Advanced Correctional Healthcare and multiple jail staff members. A 2023 state investigation from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction found the jail was deficient in at least six state-mandated standards for inmate health and safety.
In a Facebook post dated June 18, 2025, Bowersox wrote that she had reviewed the full 153-page report on her brother’s death. In it, she described a string of falsified records, ignored vitals, and a pattern of medical neglect she says ultimately cost her brother his life. “This is the Richland County Jail,” she wrote. “This could have happened to anyone.”
The lawsuit alleges Marshall endured multiple strokes, brain bleeds, pneumonia, a ruptured spleen, and overwhelming infection—all of which could have been prevented with basic medical care.
Attorneys on both sides confirmed they reached a settlement agreement in principle through court-assisted mediation. The draft is due by July 25, and final dismissal paperwork by October 20.
FreeWire will continue following the case and update readers as more information becomes public.
