BUCYRUS — Eric Simmons of Nevada appeared in Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Thursday to plead guilty to failure to comply, a third-degree felony punishable with up to 36 months in prison.
Simmons, 31, was already sentenced and served 30 months on the same charge out of Wyandot County. When Simmons led police on a high-speed chase and entered Crawford County, he received an additional charge.
In a plea negotiation, Simmons was sentenced to 36 months in prison with a possible judicial release after serving one year.
Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold also ordered a 10-year driver’s license suspension for Simmons with a possible review after five years.
“Normally in a case like this I would issue a lifetime driver’s license suspension for a high-speed chase. So, this could be a lot worse.” Leuthold said.
Simmons will receive 55 days of jail time credit.
In other court action, Shania Clingman, 24, of Bucyrus pleaded guilty to one count of possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony punishable with up to 12 months in prison.
Leuthold sentenced Clingman to five years of community control and participation in the Treatment In Lieu of Conviction Program. If she successfully completes the program, the felony will be dropped from her record.
Clingman must remain in drug treatment as well as pay the costs of treatment and supervision.
“This is a great opportunity to get a felony removed from your record and move on with your life. Don’t blow it,” Leuthold said.
George Scott, 46, of Galion pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence, each fourth-degree felonies and each punishable with up to 18 months in prison.
Leuthold imposed a plea negotiation sentence, which put Scott on five years of community control. He is to have no contact with his victim, but in a strange turn of events, the victim appeared in court and asked that contact be permitted.
“I am ordering you no contact for 30 days and then I will review your request,” Leuthold said. “Mr. Scott, you are not to contact her at all. You are not to respond to any contact she may make with you. If you do, you will go to prison. Because I have heard good things about your behavior at the jail, I am going to reduce your community control to three years. Keep doing good things and good things will happen. If you do bad things, then bad things will happen.”