AUSTINTOWN — A Niles man has accepted a plea deal after leading police on a drunken chase in a stolen vehicle that he crashed.

Corey Heinselman, 38, pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Austintown Court to charges of OVI, hit-skip and failure to comply. In exchange, a charge of felony theft was reduced to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized use of a vehicle, and charges of resisting arrest and driving on a suspended license were dropped.

Judge Scott Hunter on Monday imposed a total of $1,150 in fines, a suspended jail sentence and two years of probation, along with mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations, with an order to pursue treatment if those evaluations recommend it. Heinselman also must pay $500 restitution to his cousin, from whom he stole the Porsche he crashed.

On March 27, Austintown Police Lt. William Hoelzel saw a Porsche Cayenne driving north on state Route 46 with no headlights or tail lights and apparent damage to its front end, according to a police report. At the same time, dispatch notified him that the same vehicle had been reported for reckless driving at the intersection of Route 46 and Mahoning Avenue.

Police tried to stop the car, but it continued north toward Niles. The report stated that Heinselman repeatedly struck the curb while yelling out the window at police and making obscene gestures as he drove.

Police stopped the pursuit at Clarkins Drive, but Hoelzel continued to follow at a normal speed. He found the car crashed in the parking lot of a convenience store near Salt Springs Road. The report states Heinselman tried to run but Hoelzel tackled him and held him until other officers arrived.

The report states Heinselman continued to swear at police, and through slurred speech said he was overly intoxicated.

The report states that before crashing, Heinselman struck several vehicles parked in a used car lot on South Main Street in Niles.

The report states the Porsche belonged to Heinselman’s cousin, who told police Heinselman did not have permission to take it, and filed theft charges against him.

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