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Canfield man receives 10th OVI charge after drive across YSU campus
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A man with nine prior convictions of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol picked up his 10th OVI charge late Tuesday afternoon after he drove his car across the Youngstown State University campus.
James Thomas, 55, who has an address on Timberbrook Drive in Canfield according to court records, is in the Mahoning County jail on $15,000 bond after his arraignment Wednesday in municipal court before Magistrate Anthony Sertick on a fourth-degree felony charge of OVI and a first-degree misdemeanor of driving under OVI suspension.
Assistant City Prosecutor Jeffrey Moliterno told Magistrate Sertick that during his drive across campus on the sidewalks, the car Thomas was driving struck several light poles, rendering 16 inoperable, and a man on campus was almost hit by the car.
Reports by YSU police said officers checked video cameras on campus after Thomas was taken into custody and he was spotted turning onto campus from Wick Avenue. He was caught at the Charlie Staples Bar-B-Q restaurant at Belmont and West Rayen avenues.
Thomas told the judge during his arraignment from the jail via video hookup that “after the last couple of days I don’t have a job anymore,” a nd that he was trying to deliver money to his son, who is also in the jail. “I gave him $400,” Thomas said, “but things turned out bad.”
University police were called about 5:35 p.m. to Spring and Elm streets for a report of a car driving recklessly on the sidewalks on campus and the streets around the university. One witness told police they saw Thomas driving from University Plaza to the front of Sweeney Hall and the witness was almost hit by the car, reports said.
Reports said the car was also spotted driving between Beeghly Center and the Andrews Recreation Center, where it hit a pole and some other objects. Witnesses said the car also had a flat and shredded tire. The car was also spotted in front of Beeghly Center, reports said.
As university police were searching for the car, they got a call from the Charlie Staples restaurant, where a security guard found Thomas’ car in the parking lot. Reports said when officers got to the parking lot they found Thomas in the car. Thomas was so drunk he could not stand up. He was taken to the city police department for a breath test, but he refused and also refused to sign a refusal form, reports said.
There, reports said, he had to be held up by officers in the elevator because he could not stand on his own.
Thomas was taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital to get a blood test, then to the university police station, where he was given a field sobriety test. He refused to sign any of his citations there, either, reports said.
Thomas is on probation after being sentenced in February in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of OVI and a charge of carrying a concealed weapon, which was a felony but reduced to a misdemeanor in exchange for his plea. He was given a suspended 180-day sentence on the CCW charge and given a suspended 175 day sentence on the OVI charge, with credit for two days served.
He was allowed to take a driver’s intervention course in lieu of an additional three days of jail. He was also ordered to undergo alcohol and mental health treatment and random drug and alcohol testing.
For an OVI charge to be a felony in Ohio, the defendant must have six OVIs within 20 years or four within a six-year period.
Court records show that in addition to his conviction in February, Thomas has convictions in 2005, 2001, two in 2000, as well as convictions in 1984, 1983, 1982 and 1980. The convictions in 2005, 2001, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1980 and one in 2000 all came from county court in Austintown.
He also has prior convictions in Warren Municipal Court in 2000 and Akron Municipal Court in 1983, court records show.