Councilman Scaffide Defends Himself Against Drunken Driving Charge

Ward 1 Councilman Sam Scaffide said he still wants residents to count on him after he was on Nov. 23.

In an interview with Twinsburg Patch, Scaffide said he is not above the law and the legal process must play out.

Scaffide is fighting all of the charges, pleading not guilty in Stow Municipal Court on Nov. 29 to charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, weaving, driving left of center, and improper change of course. Scaffide will be in court again for a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 12 with Magistrate John Clarke at .

Scaffide explained his side of the story Tuesday night. He said that night he had a few drinks with friends and then went to dinner.

“I know my limits and that’s when I stopped drinking and got something to eat,” Scaffide said.

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.

He said the officer told him he had been pulled over for not using his turn signal and going on the yellow line. Scaffide complied with the officer and told him he had a few drinks earlier in the evening. He was arrested after a field sobriety test and taken to the police station, where he took a breathalyzer test.

Police Liuetenent Michael Nakata told the Twinsburg Bulletin Scaffide blew a .076, which is below the state’s legal limit of .08

“Once I did that, he actually looked at me and handed me my license,” Scaffide said. “He said to me: ‘Here’s your license. According to the State of Ohio you are not over the legal limit and you’re free to drive and free to go.’”

Scaffide said he told the officer he went left of center because he was adjusting the radio.

“I’m not a law-breaker and that is the first time I’ve ever been stopped for anything like that,” Scaffide said. “The process has got to take its place.”

Scaffide, who was sworn in to a new term Tuesday, said he will continue to serve the residents “just as good, if not better” for the next four years.

“I still want the residents to rely on me because that’s not the person that I am, that’s not the lifestyle that I live,” Scaffide said.