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Julie A. Wagner sentenced for assault

YOUNGSTOWN — An Akron woman pleaded guilty to felony assault Tuesday for biting an emergency medical technician.

The incident occurred at the same location where a man assaulted two Boardman police officers May 30.

Julie A. Wagner, 36, appeared before Judge Anthony Donofrio of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, pleading guilty to the offense and received no prison time. She was placed on 18 months of community control, frequently referred to as probation.

Wagner’s name came up during the trial last month of Shawn Drogus, 31, of Shenango Street in New Castle, Pa. That trial, also before Donofrio, resulted in a jury finding Drogus guilty of two counts of felony assault, one of obstructing official business and single counts of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He will be sentenced later.

Drogus assaulted two Boardman police officers outside of the Days Inn on South Avenue after police asked him to leave the parking lot of the business.

Drogus testified he went to the Days Inn parking lot from the Holiday Inn across South Avenue where he was staying because he heard Wagner screaming. He was talking to Wagner when Boardman police arrived.

Boardman police said when they arrived and started to talk to Wagner, they asked Drogus to leave the area and he would not. Drogus fought with police, kicking Sgt. Glenn Patton in the chest, causing injuries to Patton’s ribs, hand, elbow and head.

After police detained Drogus, the assault involving Wagner took place, prosecutors said. While ambulance personnel were treating Wagner in the ambulance, she bit an EMT, said Kevin Trapp, assistant county prosecutor. He said he did not know how badly injured the EMT was.

An assault on a first responder is a more serious offense than regular assault, Donofrio noted during the hearing.

Terry Grenga, Wagner’s attorney, told Donofrio the assault was part of a “series of unfortunate events that led her to the parking lot of the Days Inn.” Grenga said Wagner’s assault took place after someone “apparently drugged her.” Grenga said Wagner has changed her life.

In sentencing Wagner, Donofrio asked Wagner to continue with her sobriety and mental health treatment.

Trapp said after the hearing he does not know if some sort of drugging took place.

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