Recordpub.com - Guilty plea to cop's death Kentite to be sentenced for drunken driving fatality

By Marci Piltz

Record-Courier staff writer

A Kent man pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge of killing a Portage County law enforcement officer in a drunken driving crash in August 2007.

Christopher R. Jones, 23, of 619 Walter St., Apt. 3, appeared before Judge John Enlow in Portage County Common Pleas Court with his attorney, William Lentz, to enter a guilty plea to two of four charges he was indicted on earlier this year.

Jones will be sentenced in January.

Jones was driving a 2002 Acura RSX southbound on Diagonal Road in Mantua, just north of Frost Road, around 3:20 a.m. when his vehicle veered left of center, according to previously released information from the Ravenna Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. It then struck a 1999 Ford Taurus headed northbound and driven by Donovan Svab, a part-time Garrettsville police officer and full-time Ohio Department of Natural Resources officer.

The patrol said neither driver was wearing a seat belt, and Svab's vehicle rolled over and came to a rest on its roof in a ditch. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Portage County Coroner's Office.

Jones suffered injuries in the crash as well, and it took medical personnel more than one hour to extricate him from the wreckage.

Jones was indicted in July on two counts each of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to one of each of the charges and the remaining two were dismissed.

Svab's widow, Nicole, was in the courtroom Friday when Jones entered the plea, as were his parents and brother, Dustin, a Ravenna police officer.

"I'm glad this phase is over," said Deirdre Svab, Donovan's mother. "Now I can bury my son."

Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci represented the state in the case and told Enlow that as part of the plea agreement with Jones a joint recommendation of a four year prison sentence had been agreed upon by both the prosecution and defense.

Dustin Svab, who coordinates the Portage County Safe Communities program which is aimed at reducing motor vehicle crashes and fatalities, said the plea came at a difficult time, "at the very time of the year that has become so difficult to endure due to the loss of Donovan.

"It is our hope that others can learn from the outcome of this incident and the far outreaching affects it has not only to family members, but to everyone that knew him." Dustin said.

Donovan's widow, Nicole, also made a brief statement following the hearing.

"Today's events will not bring back my children's father, but I am glad Mr. Jones is admitting responsibility for his actions," she said.

E-mail:

mpiltz@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-298-1128

21.	Posted by gucci December 17, 2008
	Ayn Rand is out of "logic ammo". "She" has now become predictable. Now the personal attacks on other peoples opinions and far flung therories or rumors are are the only options for her. Claiming they know my or anyone elses story, well that's just ...crazy.. The "real Ayn Rand" was a writer and philosopher who believed wholly in objetivism. She believed that individuals should choose their values and actions solely by reason. "She" writes on here of knowing others "stories" yet assumes and subjectively castigates onto others. "Objectivism is clearly not evident in "Ayn Rand's" posts on this site...I see them as more or less "Subjectivism" if there is such a thing...LOL The guy got drunk, got in a car, drove crazy and killed a man. Jones by his own admission is guilty. He entered a legal and binding plea into the court record under full effective and legal counsel. It just don't get no more "objective" than that!!!

19.	Posted by Ayn Rand December 17, 2008
	It seems the reading comprehension level demonstrated by Mrs. Patterson and Gucci is altogether shameful. I asked if "you have a more intimate understanding of the details involved in this case". I know both of your stories, and I have to say that all of this self-aggrandizing and the holier-than-thou attitude makes it seem as though you are both proud to be victims. That you somehow have the right to judge and criticize a man that neither of you know. You don't know what happened that night, and the truth would turn your world upside down, tear asunder your illusions, and send the sanctuary of your own ignorance crashing down around you. Please refrain from judging Mr. Jones unless you actually know him, or truthfully know what happened that night.

18.	Posted by Lilly Patterson_inactive December 16, 2008
	The maximum penalty for aggravated vehicular homicide, second degree is 8 years mandatory prison and a life time suspension of driver's license plus $15,000 fine! The ORC is just a little fairer than what the prosecutor and defense lawyer came up with in the plea bargain. With all this talk about cracking down on drunk driving, I am hoping the judge will over ride the plea bargain and throw the book at this guy. Even with what appears to be no prior DUIs (but lots of speeding offenses), he killed one of our county law enforcement officer , a father, husband and son plus managed to tie up our court system for over 16 months. We will find out January 12th at 1:00 PM in Judge Enlow courtroom, if this county is true to it's word. RIP Donovan Svab Drunk Drivers Steal Lil

17.	Posted by gucci December 15, 2008
	Lilly Patterson Great post!! And a very true and factual insight into the who the prosecutor really works for and how the system really works. After all, all criminal complaints at the common pleas level are titled The State of Ohio vs... As much as I would like to complain about victims rights I believe the system is what it is. The prosecutors can only charge the offenses that are in the ORC. I have been down the same road as you. The victims families do not get a say in plea bargains, sentencing or anything else for that matter. Just a "victims impact statement" at the end that carries zero weight in the sentencing phase. All you can do is go to every court hearing and hope they notice you are watching everything they do and question everything that does not seem right. I just cannot understand the overall mentality of our legislature that does not make these crimes tougher. Max 5 years on Agg veh. homicide?? It is crazy if you locically think about it: Knowingly get into a car drunk, reasonably understanding your actions could result in serious harm or death and then it happens. Then when they do kill or hurt someone they leverage the legal system for 16 months (or longer) to stay out of the joint!! They cry poor me and say "I am sorry it was all an accident"!!!??? The thought of these people doing that actually offends me. Someone will respond that I am bitter because of what happened to my family. They would be very right about that. I didn't put that bitterness in me. The actions of a criminal did. He changed my family and me forever and I have no problem admitting it. As long as I have a breath in me I will post my thoughts on these sensless and criminal acts everytime one is published. Again, Lilly Patterson: A great honest and factual post. I too have true and honest sympathy for the Svab family. I hope they can find strength. Most days it sure is hard..