Driver in fatal pedestrian accident says he had prescribed drug in system

Staff report

LIBERTY

A sergeant with the Ohio State Highway Patrol says the driver who struck and killed a pedestrian on Belmont Avenue in January told an investigator he had a valid prescription for a drug found in his system at the time of the crash.

Sgt. Troy Sexton said Friday that Trooper Mathew Fidram contacted the driver, Ryan Tolone, 28, of Girard, and Tolone indicated he did have a prescription for the buprenorphine detected in his body.

The highway patrol and Atty. Michael Bloom, Girard Municipal Court prosecutor, are attempting to confirm that, Sexton said.

Bloom said Friday he has not completed his review of the crash and his research into Tolone’s use of buprenorphine and will need additional time to decide whether to file any charges in the crash, which killed Amy Huffman, 45, of Belmont Avenue.

Meanwhile, two Youngstown-area drug-addiction treatment facilities say buprenorphone, also known as Suboxone, which is used to treat opiate addiction, does not typically affect a person’s ability to drive an automobile or work in dangerous jobs, such as law enforcement officer.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com