43
Judge tells tavern shooter mental illness is no excuse for his violent behavior
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Before Judge Ronald Rice sentenced Ryan N. Rulong to 39 to 40 1/2 years in prison Friday for a drive-by shooting at the University At Larchmont tavern and robbing a Howland gas station at gunpoint, the judge addressed one of the recurring themes of Rulong’s case: mental illness.
The judge noted that Michael Scala, Rulong’s attorney, asked for an evaluation to determine whether Rulong’s history of mental illness warranted a determination of whether he was competent to stand trial, a request the judge denied.
The judge said Scala provided “no expert evidence whatsoever” to show that Rulong, 27, of Church Hill-Hubbard Road in Girard, was unable to assist in his defense “or to excuse [his] criminal behavior.”
The judge added, “Many people in this country have serious mental health issues, but they are not criminals. You, Mr. Rulong, are a violent criminal who also has mental illness, and you are a danger to our society.”
The judge said the community is “extremely fortunate that several people were not killed or seriously injured at the UAL that night. But for the grace of God, this heartbreaking situation would have been another mass murder, which our country has had to painstakingly endure time and time again.”
The judge and Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker separately commended the Howland and Warren police officers who captured Rulong on May 14 after he robbed the True North gas station in Howland. Detectives also secured a confession from Rulong to the robbery and the tavern shootings.
Three tavern patrons were injured by gunshots or flying debris from at least eight shots that Rulong fired into the business from his pickup truck about an hour after he had a verbal altercation with two men standing on the front patio.
Before sentencing, Rulong, who fidgeted and remained silent during the trial, spoke to the judge, saying clearly, “First of all, I want to say I’m sorry. I did not mean to hurt anyone. I am not that kind of person.” He said he is addicted to drugs and alcohol, which “could have led to this incident, and I need to make a few changes in my life, and I’m willing to do so.”
A sentencing memorandum Scala filed in the case says Rulong has no previous criminal record but has “suffered from mental illness since his childhood.”
It took the judge a long time to read Rulong’s sentence because of the 17 charges and gun specifications that accompany each of them.
Eight counts of felonious assault resulted in no prison time because of merger, meaning that if a defendant commits a single act that simultaneously fulfills the definition of two separate offenses, he will not be sentenced on the lesser offense.
Judge Rice sentenced Rulong to three to 41/2 years in prison on one of his eight convictions for attempted murder at the tavern, and Rulong becomes the first Trumbull County defendant sentenced under Ohio’s new Regan-Tokes Act, named for an Ohio State University student who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a sex offender who had been released from prison three months earlier.
The act requires an offender to be sentenced to a range of prison time so that if he or she misbehaves in prison, he or she could spend a longer time behind bars.
On Rulong’s other seven counts of attempted murder and aggravated robbery, he got nine years in prison. He got 27 years in prison for specifications that his crimes were a drive-by shooting.
Rulong also became the first county defendant ordered to register with the Violent Offender Registry when he leaves prison. The registry can be used by law enforcement to help solve crimes.