Salem driver of SUV that crashed is found guilty of two charges

SALEM -- The driver of a sport-utility vehicle involved in a weekend crash that critically injured his passenger was found guilty of failure to control and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Michael Hoover, 20, of 43050 Pine Hollow Road, Lisbon, was charged with the violations after the single-vehicle accident.
The wreck occurred about 4:30 a.m. Sunday along state Route 45 near Salem-Grange Road in Salem Township, said a spokeswoman for the Ohio Highway Patrol Lisbon Post.
Hoover was treated at Salem Community Hospital.
His passenger, Darren Berg, 17, of 37345 Hunter Camp Road, Lisbon, was flown to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, where he was in critical condition this morning with multiple fractures, according to hospital officials.
The state patrol said Hoover was driving south when he lost control of the vehicle. It went off the road, hitting a culvert and a utility pole before overturning.
Hoover appeared Monday before Judge Robert Roberts of Columbiana County Municipal Court. Hoover pleaded no contest and was found guilty of both violations.
On the charge of driving under the influence, Judge Roberts sentenced Hoover to 15 days in jail and suspended 12 of those, placing him on two years' unsupervised probation.
He fined Hoover $500, but suspended $250 of the fine, if Hoover completes a three-day educational program, which he may do in lieu of jail.
Hoover must also perform 50 hours of community service. On the failure-to-control citation, Judge Roberts fined Hoover $50.