Ellsworth woman sues over flooding

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — An Ellsworth Township homeowner has sued the Mahoning County commissioners, the county’s sanitary engineering department and the county’s sanitary sewer installation contractor, alleging the contractor negligently caused her basement to flood.

Brenda Greasel of Salem-Warren Road filed the lawsuit Monday against the county officials and David Sugar Excavating LLC of Petersburg in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

On Nov. 20, 2007, while performing a sanitary sewer installation, Sugar damaged drain lines leading from Greasel’s house to the storm sewer that diverts rainwater runoff, the suit says. As a result, Greasel’s basement flooded when it rained two days later, the suit adds.

The suit, filed by Atty. Robert J. Herberger, says Sugar refused to repair the damage, and the legal action demands more than $10,000 to cover the repair costs Greasel incurred.

Linette Stratford, chief of the civil division in the county prosecutor’s office, which defends the county; Bill Coleman, the sanitary engineer’s office manager, and Dave Sugar, president of the contracting company, could not be reached to comment.