Judge Hunter recuses himself from John Dellick's case

Judge Hunter recuses himself from John Dellick's case

Judge Hunter recuses himself from John Dellick's case

CANFIELD

Mahoning County Court Judge Scott Hunter has recused himself from a case against John Dellick, the son of Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick.

Judge Hunter excused himself in accordance with the Judicial Canons of Ethics. A docket entry Friday shows that he requested the case be referred to the county courts’ presiding judge, Joseph M. Houser, for assignment.

John Dellick is charged with aggravated assault, a fourth-degree felony, after a road-rage incident occurred last Friday.

Judge Hunter did not recuse himself from Dellick’s arraignment on Tuesday in Canfield court, where he presides.

Angelo Gomez, 58, of Boardman told Mahoning County Sheriff’s deputies that he saw Dellick throw a bottle out of the window of his silver Jeep while stopped at a light on U.S. Route 224 and Lockwood Boulevard.

Gomez yelled at Dellick for littering and then Dellick made an inappropriate hand gesture toward Gomez. Dellick then began repeatedly braking to get Gomez to hit his Jeep, according to a police report. After Gomez passed Dellick, Dellick rear-ended Gomez’ car.

When both men got out of their vehicles, Dellick began to yell racial slurs toward Gomez and his wife and questioned the couple’s citizenship, as they are Hispanic, according to a police report.

Dellick was arrested and taken to Mahoning County jail. He was released after posting a $2,500 bond last Saturday morning. His preliminary hearing is at 11 a.m. Nov. 22 in Canfield court. Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains said a special prosecutor may be sought for the case to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

His mother issued a statement on Monday supporting her son’s innocence and arguing against the claim of her son making racial comments, since he has Hispanic heritage.