Cronin finishes her drunken-driving jail term

Cronin finishes her drunken-driving jail term

YOUNGSTOWN — While 271 other drunken drivers wait to serve their jail time, a retired judge jumped to the head of the line and did her five days.

Maureen A. Cronin, 54, of Canfield Road reported to the misdemeanant jail at 6:47 a.m. Friday and was released at 6:40 a.m. today, a jail official said. On Sept. 12, the former Mahoning County Common Pleas Court judge pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle impaired in Mahoning County Area Court in Canfield. It was her second OVI conviction.

Judge Scott D. Hunter sentenced Cronin to 18 days’ electronically monitored house arrest to begin immediately, expecting it to commence the following day, Sept. 13. At some point after alcohol assessment, he ordered Cronin to serve five days in jail.

“It was a direct order from Judge Hunter that she be incarcerated that date, which was the 14th,” Sheriff Randall A. Wellington said today, explaining why Cronin went ahead of 271 others who have been waiting.

Judge Hunter vehemently denied that he ordered the sheriff to put Cronin in jail ahead of others on the waiting list.

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