Knuckle found at Green Twp. gas station leads to man's arrest

A man accused of stealing more than $200 from the cash drawer of a Green Twp. gas station has been charged after a portion of his knuckle was allegedly found at the crime scene.

MORE CRIME: Springfield man allegedly claims ‘voices’ lead to high-speed chase

Ernest D. Ewers, 33, pleaded not guilty to one count of breaking and entering in the Clark County Municipal Court on Monday. Bond was set at $5,000.

Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to Mayberry’s Mini Mart, 4000 Springfield-Xenia Road, at about 1:15 a.m. Oct. 28 after an alarm was triggered inside the business.

Deputies found a broken window and two cash drawers were missing, including about $211 in cash. They were also able to collect blood samples from the scene.

MORE: Springfield man stabbed while walking home from poker game

On Nov. 2, an employee found what appeared to be knuckle from a finger on top of the propane tank enclosure located underneath the broken window, according to a police report. Detectives were later told the alleged suspect, Ewers, also had a cut on the knuckle area of his left pinky finger, the report said.

While serving jail time for a traffic offense, Ewers was asked to submit a DNA sample for this incident, detectives wrote. He didn’t hesitate, laughed and told detectives “he should’ve paid more attention to his finger instead of the cash drawers,” the report said.

On Dec. 7, lab results indicated that Ewers DNA profile allegedly came back as “rarer than 1 in 1 trillion.”

A warrant for Ewers arrest was issued on Dec. 8 and he was arrested on Dec. 16, jail records said. Ewers remains in the Clark County Jail, according to the jail’s website.

The damage at the business was estimated at about $1,600.