WARREN — Former Trumbull County auditor and treasurer David Hines was sentenced Thursday morning on a fourth-degree misdemeanor menacing charge.

Warren Municipal Judge Terry Ivanchak said the court is “very concerned for the health of Mr. Hines,” before handing down a suspended 30-day jail sentence, with credit for one day already served, a $100 fine and a 5 year probation. As part of the probation, Hines will not be allowed to drive and cannot have contact with the teen victim.

Hines, 81, of Sutton Place, Howland, was arrested in mid-September after a Warren police officer was dispatched to the Family Dollar store at 378 Elm Road NE, where a 15-year-old girl complained about being followed by a man driving a white Ford Mustang as she was walking on Elm, according to a police report.

The driver did not say anything until she walked into the store’s parking lot. At this time, the man tried yelling to her to come and get in his car. The man, described as wearing a brown plaid shirt, sat in his vehicle in the lot for several minutes trying to get her into his car. The girl and another witness took pictures on their cellphones of the vehicle and the license plate. The report identified the suspect as Hines.

Hines pleaded guilty Oct. 14 to the misdemeanor charge.

His attorney, Gary Rich, said Thursday morning Hines had honorably served Trumbull County, and he was always trying to help people. He said Hines, who has dementia, thought the teen girl was in trouble and was trying to help her.

“He is just not well,” Rich said. He added: “This is going to happen to all of us one day.”

Rich said he is a close friend of Hines, who has been “like a brother” to him for 40 years. He said since the incident, people have been harassing Hines’ family.

“I ask that everyone please leave Dave’s family alone,” Rich said.

Hines, who also served as a Howland Township trustee from 1978 to 1985, left his county office in late 2005.