Felony weapons charge against Y'town cop dropped

YOUNGSTOWN

A felony weapons charge against a city police officer, who was cited for driving drunk while off duty last month, was dropped Friday.

Additionally, a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence against Darrel “Fred” Herdman was amended to reckless operation. He pleaded guilty in municipal court to that charge, was fined $150 and ordered to attend three days of driver school.

His license will be suspended for three months retroactive to the day he was charged, but he can apply for work privileges.

Herdman was arrested after he was pulled over early March 17 by a state trooper after he was observed running a red light at Schenley Avenue and DeCamp Road

on the West Side. The trooper said he smelled alcohol and placed Herdman under arrest for OVI. He faced a felony charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle because of the OVI charge.

Herdman refused to take a breath test so prosecutors had no idea of what his blood alcohol content might have been.

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