 |
It was business as usual in Logan County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday afternoon as Judge Mark S. O’Connor took his normal spot on the bench in the Logan County Jail courtroom.
Only this week, he was a visiting judge on appointment by the Ohio Supreme Court, hearing cases in which the court’s new Judge William T. Goslee — who sat in the back of the court watching a portion of the proceedings — has a conflict of interest because he was county prosecutor when the cases were filed and went before grand jury.
Several cases were on for sentencing hearings after entering pleas before Judge O’Connor late in 2016, including a man who led law enforcement officers on a chase around Indian Lake and a woman who stole $37,000 from her aged employer.
• Douglas Nickles, 43, of Wapakoneta, was sentenced to spend 60 days in jail, a one-year license suspension and five years’ community control for fifth-degree felony obstructing justice and misdemeanor fleeing and eluding charges.
He was arrested Jan. 25, 2016, by troopers of the Ohio State Highway Patrol after a high-speed chase around the Indian Lake area.
The trooper saw Mr. Nickles outside a vehicle stopped along State Route 366 in the early morning hours. When the trooper exited his cruiser to investigate, the suspect fled in the vehicle.
Officers pursued the driver, citing various moving violations, including unsafe speeds in residential areas before Mr. Nickles wrecked the vehicle into a ditch. He reportedly fled on foot and was located some time later.
Read complete COURT NEWS Wednesday’ Examiner.
CLICK HERE to subscribe today!
WEB EDITION STARTING AT $9.50 FOR 5 WEEKS!