Struthers officer charged with OVI remains on leave

By jeanne starmack

starmack@vindy.com

struthers

A Struthers police officer who was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired remains on paid administrative leave.

Officer Daniel Lamping, 34, a seven-year, full-time member of the city police force, was stopped at 11:14 p.m. July 16 on South Avenue in Boardman by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper who saw him driving without headlights, according to a document in Mahoning County Court in Boardman.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge at an arraignment July 19. He lost his driving privileges and has asked the court to reinstate them.

Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker said Friday that Lamping has waived his right to a predisciplinary conference with city officials. Stocker said officials had one administrative interview with Lamping shortly after his arrest.

Stocker said he expects to know more about disciplinary action soon.

A statement by the trooper on file with the court says that when he approached Lamping’s car, he smelled “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage.”

The statement indicates Lamping told the trooper he’d had “two drinks,” then “a few beers” with pizza.

Lamping did not want sobriety tests, so the trooper advised him he would have to arrest him, the document says.

The trooper handcuffed Lamping and drove him to the OSHP post, where Lamping refused a breath test, the document says.

The trooper released Lamping to his wife, the document says.