Boardman man pleads guilty in February crash
YOUNGSTOWN — Chad R. Vodhanel, 48, Colleen Drive, Boardman, pleaded guilty Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to aggravated vehicular assault and misdemeanor drunk driving in a Feb. 6 crash on state Route 46 in Austintown.
Prose-cutors and the defense are jointly recommending that Vodhanel get two years in prison when he is sentenced at 9 a.m. July 9. Judge R. Scott Krichbaum is overseeing the case.
According to an Ohio State Highway Patrol report, Vodhanel was driving south on state Route 46 a short distance south of the Interstate 80 overpass when he crossed the center lane and struck another vehicle head-on that was traveling north.
The woman, 66, of Austintown, in the northbound vehicle suffered several broken ribs and injuries to her back, said Mike Rich, county assistant prosecutor. She was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash, reported that they suspected that Vodhanel was intoxicated, but Vodhanel refused to be tested for intoxication.
The crash was reported at 2:02 p.m.
Vodhanel had no apparent injuries, and a male passenger, 23, of Austintown, in the woman’s car suffered a suspected minor injury. He also was taken to the hospital.
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