Wednesday, July 28, 2004
The deputy is due in Mahoning County Court on Thursday.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
AUSTINTOWN -- Mahoning County Deputy Sheriff Stanley Kosinski Jr. was charged with driving under the influence after being stopped on a speeding violation at 1:25 a.m. today by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper.
Kosinski, 33, of Youngstown, was traveling eastbound on Mahoning Avenue near state Route 11 when pulled over by Trooper Michael Helmick. The trooper had Kosinski's blood-alcohol concentration tested at the patrol's Canfield post.
Lt. Brian Girts, post commander, said Kosinski's BAC was 0.16. The legal limit is 0.08.
"This is terrible conduct on his part and he'll have to pay the consequences," Sheriff Randall A. Wellington said today. "The policy for this conduct is limited duty and counseling to determine what we'll we do with him eventually."
Kosinski was hired by the sheriff's department Oct. 30, 2000.
Sheriff's Maj. Michael Budd said Kosinski is accused of driving 56 mph in a 35 mph zone. He said the deputy was issued a summons for arraignment at 9 a.m. Thursday in Mahoning County Court, Austintown.
Work restrictions
Kosinski, who is assigned to the corrections division at the jail, will continue to work but with administrative restrictions, Budd said.
The deputy will not be permitted to come to work in uniform, which would require wearing his gun, but will dress at work, Budd said. The deputy's duties in the jail do not require him to carry a gun.
Budd said Kosinski will face discipline after the case makes its way through the court system. In the interim, the deputy will be referred to the Employee Assistance Program for evaluation of any problems, Budd said.
Kosinski is the second deputy to be charged with DUI in the past 18 months.
In January 2003, Deputy Donald Belosic, 30, of Boardman was charged with DUI and speeding on South Avenue, just south of Walker Mill Road in Boardman. That arrest was also made by a trooper.
Belosic refused to have his blood-alcohol content tested, according to Vindicator files. The case was handled out of Mahoning County Court, Boardman.
In April 2003, the DUI was amended to reckless operation and the speeding charge was dismissed, the court said. Judge Scott Hunter fined Belosic $250, placed him on one year's nonreporting probation and suspended his license for 180 days. The suspension ran from January 13 to July 13, 2003.
meade@vindy.com