Trumbull officer on leave pending drug investigation

WARREN

The Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office has placed jail corrections officer Ryan Tolone on paid administrative leave, pending completion of an internal-affairs investigation into whether he violated departmental policies relating to prescription-drug use.

Maj. Tom Stewart, internal-affairs investigator with the sheriff’s office, said the decision was made after interviewing Tolone on Tuesday regarding a report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol indicating Tolone had the drug buprenorphine in his system when his vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on state Route 193 in Liberty Township in January.

One of the trade names for buprenorphine is Suboxone, which most commonly is used to treat addiction to opioid drugs such as heroin or oxycodone.

Tolone has not been charged criminally in the crash, which killed Emily Huffman, 45, of Liberty, but Girard Prosecutor Michael Bloom is reviewing the case to determine whether Tolone violated any laws.

Tolone was headed south on Belmont Avenue in a pickup truck about 10:30 p.m. Jan. 28 when his vehicle hit Huffman, who was walking in the roadway.

Read more about the case in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.