A 2019 police report involving Amy Acton, a Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, is drawing renewed attention as her campaign gains momentum. At the time of the incident, Acton was serving as director of the Ohio Department of Health under Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, Breitbart News reported.
According to the police report, officers responded to a call at Acton’s home in August 2019 around 9:45 p.m. The report stated that Acton had pulled a mirror off a wall, shattering the glass, after becoming upset during a disagreement with her husband.
The report also noted that Acton told officers she had been drinking and had taken an unspecified amount of prescription medication. It said she had considered leaving the home in her car but was persuaded not to do so.
A medic was dispatched to the residence and recommended that Acton seek further medical evaluation at a hospital. The report stated that she declined that recommendation.
Acton’s campaign has disputed several aspects of the police report. In a statement, the campaign said Acton and her husband had returned home from dinner, where she had one drink, and became involved in a verbal disagreement related to her work schedule.
According to the campaign, Acton “bumped into a wall hanging which fell,” and she later went to bed. The campaign said she was asleep when officers arrived and denied that she was intoxicated that evening.
The campaign did not address all details contained in the police report but said the situation has been mischaracterized.
A spokesperson for DeWine said the governor was not aware of the incident at the time it occurred. “The Governor holds his staff to the highest standards of conduct,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Hey Ohio!@amyactonoh shut down your business, your church, and your child’s school. That same year, a police report says she was mixing alcohol and prescription drugs and smashing things at home.
She judged you. Now you can judge her.https://t.co/sOD4AcuXH4
— Mehek Cooke🇺🇸 (@MehekCooke) April 11, 2026
Police were called to the home of #OHGov candidate Dr. Amy Acton in 2019, when she was Ohio's health director. Acton's campaign on Friday disputed and sought to clarify several elements from their police report. pic.twitter.com/8cV69oyatM
— Henry J. Gomez (@HenryJGomez) April 11, 2026
Full story here: https://t.co/7vvgutT1qN
— Henry J. Gomez (@HenryJGomez) April 11, 2026
Of note, Gov. Mike DeWine, who has consistently praised Acton but endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy, did not learn about this incident until contacted by NBC News. Through a spox, he said the incident was "deeply troubling" and that Acton should've disclosed it. https://t.co/7vvgutT1qN pic.twitter.com/CFooNs0GCw
— Henry J. Gomez (@HenryJGomez) April 11, 2026
Police responded to a report of a 'domestic dispute' at Ohio governor candidate's home in 2019 https://t.co/v2pQGZinTy pic.twitter.com/6iigTW8c8C
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) April 11, 2026
“Given that the allegations in the report are deeply troubling, Governor DeWine would have expected Dr. Acton to have promptly disclosed this to him, and he is very disappointed that it did not occur,” the statement added.
The incident has resurfaced as Acton campaigns in a competitive Democratic primary for governor. Her campaign has not indicated that the issue will alter her plans moving forward.
The report and subsequent statements highlight differing accounts of the events that occurred that evening. No charges were reported in connection with the incident.
The situation continues to draw attention as the gubernatorial race develops, with candidates facing increased scrutiny over past conduct and public records.
