Man convicted in triple fatality busted for smoking pot

Man convicted in triple fatality busted for smoking pot

YOUNGSTOWN — A 21-year-old man who had to speak to students about safe driving after a triple traffic fatality is now accused of smoking suspected marijuana in a car.

Christiaen A. Lively of Parkwood Avenue was arraigned today in municipal court on a charge of drug abuse marijuana. He will be back in court Nov. 16 for a pretrial. If convicted, he faces up to 180 days in jail and $1,000 fine.

Members of the Street Crimes Unit approached a car around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday after finding it blocking the sidewalk near Lively’s home. Police said they smelled the strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle and saw the driver, later identified as Lively, holding a still-burning marijuana cigarette in his left hand.

Lively, after being asked to step out of the car, was asked if there was more contraband inside and said “No,” reports show.

A search of the vehicle, however, turned up a plastic bag of suspected marijuana and three smaller bags of the suspected drug inside a brown bag on the driver’s side floor, police said.

Lively’s companion was not charged.

On Nov. 19, 2004, Lively, after being found guilty of vehicular homicide in the deaths of three teenage friends in Mill Creek Park, was placed on five years’ probation to Municipal Judge Robert P. Milich. The probation expires Nov. 19, 2009.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.