New Patrol Post Commander Notes Distracted Driving Concerns
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (July 13, 2026) – Bryan Sponaugle has had a productive first few months as commander of the State Highway Patrol’s New Philadelphia Post, a role he began in April. One issue already standing out, he says, is distracted driving, with some motorists so focused on phones or other devices that they fail to notice a trooper until they are being stopped.
A Mineral City native, Lt. Sponaugle said he is glad to return home and serve the community where he grew up after about 15 years at the Canton post as a trooper and later a sergeant.
Sponaugle succeeds Lt. Johnnie Maier, who transferred back to the Canton post to fill a vacancy and be closer to home.