Newton Falls mayor escapes indictment

Staff report

WARREN

A Trumbull County grand jury has refused to indict the embattled mayor of Newton Falls, Pat Layshock, over allegations that he hampered the efforts of a Newton Falls ambulance responding to an emergency call.

The grand jury reached its decision on the fourth- degree felony earlier this week.

The charge was brought in Newton Falls Municipal Court by Atty. Robert Johnson, assigned to serve as special prosecutor, after an investigation conducted by the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Department.

At a preliminary hearing in Newton Falls, firefighter paramedic Luke Grunder testified that he and fellow firefighter paramedic Jacqueline Dick were responding to a 911 call when they had to wait about 30 seconds at a downtown intersection because Layshock refused to move his vehicle out of the intersection.

Layshock, conversely, said he was hampered in seeing or hearing the ambulance because of hearing problems, sun glare and a truck beside him.

Layshock said the ambulance had room to go around him; Grunder said the ambulance did not have room.

Layshock filed several lawsuits in Warren-based courts last year in a successful attempt to be restored to Newton Falls mayor after resigning the job and later rescinding the resignation.

In an e-mail after learning of the grand jury’s action, Grunder said he is “truly disturbed by this decision and think that this is a grave injustice.”

Layshock did not return a phone call seeking comment on the grand jury’s decision.