The accusations against Joshua Gearhart surfaced over the weekend in the Dayton-area, 10TV's Maureen Kocot reported.

Gearhart had an unpaid position in Whitehall as an auxiliary officer, but city officials terminated him after learning of the investigation in Montgomery County, Kocot reported.

An unsuspecting driver spotted the woman wandering in the road, and called 911.

"There is a woman walking down the middle of the road," the 911 caller said. ""I almost hit her and someone else almost did as well."

Sheriff's deputies found the woman covered in mud and soaking wet at a gas station.

Prior to working in Whitehall, Gearhart was employed as a Columbus police officer.

Gearhart, 27, was fired from the Columbus Division of Police in September 2008 after an internal investigation revealed he had improperly used a police computer system. 

During his time with the department, Gearhart was also charged in Circleville for pulling a gun on his stepsister's boyfriend and then lying to investigators.

He later completed a court-ordered diversion program and misdemeanor falsification and menacing charges were dismissed.

Gearhart's lawyer insists his client's name will be cleared and that Gearhart denies the charges. 

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