Warren auditor gets probation City official originally was charged with drunken driving

Staff report

CORTLAND

David Griffing, Warren auditor, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of “no physical control” and was ordered to pay $767 in fines and court costs associated with the drunken-driving charge filed against him April 9.

Griffing, 56, of Willard Avenue in Warren, was charged with driving under the influence by a Bazetta Township police officer on state Route 46 near Cadwallader Sonk Road.

A blood-alcohol test he took registered at 0.19, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

Officers were alerted to Griffing’s tan-colored Jeep Wrangler “weaving all over the road” near state Route 305 and also saw the Jeep cross the center line three times and then go back on the right side of the road. Griffing told the officer he had been at the Green Eagle Winery north of Cortland.

Griffing was fined $1,000 in Central District Court, but $625 of that was suspended. He was ordered to spend 180 days in the Trumbull County jail, but 177 of that was suspended. Instead of three days in jail, Griffing will take a driving intervention class.

His 180-day driver’s license suspension expires Oct. 8, 2011. He will serve one year of reporting probation.