Scaffide's Drunken-Driving Charges Dropped

Twinsburg's Ward 1 Councilman Sam Scaffide pleaded guilty Monday morning to amended charges of reckless operation.

Scaffide, 56, was , but the charges were lessened to reckless operation, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to Hudson prosecutor Christopher Parker. All other charges were dropped.

Scaffide will participate in a three-day driver intervention program. He was also fined $250 and court costs.

Scaffide declined to comment.

"The fact of the matter is, the driving was not that impaired, if you will," Parker said. "The major violation was a turn signal violation. That, coupled with the fact that he did well with the field sobriety test, lead the state to reduce it to reckless operation."

Parker said it would have been difficult to prove the original charge of operating while impaired.

According to a report from the , at around 11:35 p.m. officers saw Scaffide's car driving north on SR 91 heading toward SR 82 driving left of center, then turning left on Ravenna Road without signaling. Officers said the car was seen driving left of center again and "weaving" in the lane. After a field sobriety test Scaffide was arrested for OVI. At the police station, Scaffide took a breathalyzer test where he blew a .076, which is below the legal limit of .08.

that he did have a few drinks that evening, but it had been a few hours before the incident. He said he was weaving because he was adjusting the radio.