Ex-chief Mink pleads guilty to reduced charges

CORTLAND — Former Cortland Police Chief Gary M. Mink pleaded guilty today to a reduced charge of reckless operation in Central District Court for driving off of state Route 46 in Bazetta Township June 24, damaging his car on a culvert, then leaving the scene.

He also pleaded guilty to failure to maintain reasonable control, a minor misdemeanor.

The failure control was a reduction from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fourth degree misdemeanor.

Visiting Judge David Fuhry of Geauga County fined Mink $250 for the reckless operation and $50 for the reasonable control and court costs.

Mink was charged with failing to stop after a June 24 accident on state Route 46 in Bazetta Township.

Mink’s Jeep left the roadway at 6:33 p.m. near Tamer Win Golf Course, traveled 210 feet through the right-side ditch and hit a culvert, leaving behind parts of the car. Minks car returned to the road.

Mink, 61, then continued north on Route 46, apparently with a flat tire, and continued two miles to his home in Cortland.

He was not injured.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated the accident, said Cortland police followed a mud trail to Mink’s home two miles away and located the vehicle.

When a sergeant with the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to Mink’s home to question him, Mink “refused to come answer the door,” according to a highway patrol report obtained by The Vindicator.

The OSHP sergeant left Mink’s home but later reached Mink by telephone. Mink agreed to meet with troopers at 3 p.m. the next day at a Cortland body shop to give a statement.

In the statement, Mink said, “I had planned to notify police within 24 hours.” When asked why he left the scene, he said “there was no other vehicles involved and I knew I had 24 hours to call it in.”

When Mink was asked if he was distracted by anything, he said, “Looked over [at] the [Tamer Win] driving range.” The crash occurred just after a curve in the road.

Mink told the sergeant he had consumed one drink at noon and had three to four glasses of vodka after the crash.

When asked whether he did anything to avoid the crash, Mink answered: “It happened so fast.”