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

16.	Posted by Lilly Patterson_inactive December 15, 2008
	It took this guy over 16 months to come to own up to the responsibilities of his actions that night. 16 months he put his victim's family through his wilds. And after all this they need to wait for the sentencing. Ayn Rand, I doubt very much the family had any say about agreeing on the penalty. The prosecutor doesn't work for the victim, only the State of Ohio. The pleas are worked out by the prosecutor and the defense attorney and approved by the judge. It is only explained to the victims. Svab family, I am so sorry for your pain and lost. Yes, this phase is over. Soon you will be able to START to heal. Drunk Drivers Steal. Lil And yeah, both Mnickita and I know a bit about aggravated vehicular homicide by the impaired.

14.	Posted by mnickita December 15, 2008
	I personally think that this guy is getting off pretty much scott free. 4 years for being drunk and killing a person. That is the good old justice system for you. I am very sorry for the Svab families loss, there truly are no words. The fact that he did not have his seatbelt on is irrelevant. If Mr. Jones would have been sober, Mr Svab would probably still be alive because there probably would not have been an accident. Take responsibility for your actions, I am sorry having lost a loved one to an intoxicated driver, 4 years isn't close to enough time. I hope the family can move on from this point. Hopefully the judge will ignore the agreement and dish out the penalty that he deserves and believe me it is more than 4 years.

13.	Posted by gucci December 14, 2008
	hannibal, no one can answer that question. It has no reason to be asked. Jones ended his life so we cannot ask him can we? How would "tellnitlikeitis" or anyone else know the answer to that?? If we are asking questions, here is one question I would ask Mr. Jones: Why did you pour your drunken A$$ into that vehicle and drive it down the road and place my family's life in danger and kill this good man instead of calling someone to pick you up? He can still answer that question. The victim cannot. ayn rand, it was no "mistake". getting drunk and getting behind the wheel of a car is a choice. The culpable mental states for that is knowingly, purposely and recklessly. And do I think Jones is one of the most contemptable men who has ever driven in Portage county?? Yes!! Of course he is!! He killed someone while driving drunk for Christ sake!! Yep, you are right!! I DO want people to believe that drunk drivers are criminals and killers! Because you know what? They are!!

11.	Posted by tellnitlikeitis December 14, 2008
	hannibal, I am absolutely appauled at your ignorance.(that's not name calling. And who the h* are you to say he wouldn't have been killed if he had on his seat belt. He was hit by a drunk driver and his vehicle rolled landing on it's roof. He wasn't ejected he was still in his seat. Crushed, because this young man couldn't excercise common sense or due care for others and decided to to ignore the possible consequences and drive intoxicated. You must be of some relation to the offender, to try and deflect any of this fault to any other than your ovi driver is simple ignorance. Now this young man will go to prison, get out on judicial release and have the rest of his life while Don does not have the rest of his life, people lost a son, husband, father, brother, friend, co-worker and you wanna sit on your high horse and second guess his actions with your "if only comments". You my friend are an ignorant piece of S*!!!(that is name calling)God forbid something ever happen to you. And Gucci as usual you are right on! Dustin, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

10.	Posted by Ayn Rand December 14, 2008
	Hannibal; You seem to want nothing more than for people to understand that if Mr. Svab had been wearing a seat belt, he would be alive today and Mr. Jones would be facing lesser charges. You want people to believe that the fault in this death doesn't rest entirely on Mr. Jones. Point made, however a very good man is dead and pointing fingers at this point isn't going to change that. Please let the family have closure and peace. Gucci; You are absolutely correct that drunk driving is abhorrent and to attempt to detract from this offense is wrong. However you seem to want nothing more than for people to believe that Mr. Jones is the most contemptible man who has ever driven in Portage County. You are entitled to that position, but I also suspect that he might agree with you. From what I hear Mr. Jones also despised drunk drivers. He along with family and friends were shocked to discover that there was a prohibited concentration of blood alcohol. However, facts are facts and he made a terrible mistake. I don't believe that he would ever knowingly cause harm to anyone alive, let alone cause the death of someone. If you are concerned about a lack of consequences for Mr. Jones, you need not worry. I respectfully request that further commentary aside from sympathies for the Svab family be left.

9.	Posted by gucci December 13, 2008
	I wont resort to calling "hannibal" names but I will retort to your comment: I find "hannibal's" opinion disturbing and more than a bit short sighted. Forget about the fact that getting behind the wheel of a car drunk is like putting a bullet in a gun and firing into a crowd, then hoping no one gets killed. Yet they ramble on about how the victim would have survived if he had a seatbelt on?? To even try to equate these two things and attempt to build a perception of equal culplability between the victim and the convict is deplorable, self righteous and disrespectful in my opinion. You stated in your last post "both are at fault". I just find that without sound logic. That is more of an emotional/judgemental comment in my opinion. But we have seen others with this same twisted and self righteous sense of "see I told you so" commentary. The FACT is you dont know what would have happened. You are guessing at best. And sure, it might have increased his chances for survival but we will never really know. The plain FACT of the matter is if this Jones guy would not have gotten into a car drunk and put all our lives at risk and then ended up killing a good cop, husband and father we would not even be posting comments to this article. And yes, I do wear my seatbelt every time I get into a car, front seat or back, my car or anyone elses.. I just dont feel it is right to put one ounce of this onto the victim. These drunk drivers are filling our cemeteries at a record pace. You hear about it EVERY day. This guy will get a whopping 4 year sentence. The Svab family gets life. Where is the "both are at fault" in that????

7.	Posted by Hannibal December 13, 2008
	Billshane, I am the dad of two kids and I take every possible measure to make sure I am buckled EVERY time so I don't miss a single minute of their lives. You'd think Donovan Svab would have thought about his family that night. We buckle up in case there's a drunk, a deer jumping out, a slippery road, a brake failure, an inexperienced driver, an elderly driver, someone suddenly braking, cell phone and texting drivers, road debris etc. A policeman knows what could happen. I don't want to put this poor family through anything more but buddy...wake up! Seatbelts saved my life once and save more lives than you can count.No one is above the law. Buckle up. I did say that kid was more wrong...but REMEMBER we CAN ONLY CONTROL OURSELVES! WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES AND PROTECTING OUR DEPENDENTS. You cannot predict OR control what others will do!