Norwalk man accused of fleeing police, causing injury accident

Dec. 24--Charles K. Wireman, 38, most recently of 32 Fruen St., appeared on a summons for his arraignment Monday in Huron County Common Pleas Court. He entered "not guilty" pleas to two counts of aggravated vehicular assault and one charge each of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer and driving under the influence. His trial date is March 29.

Defense attorney John Allton said his client doesn't expect to take a plea bargain.

If convicted of failure to comply and one of the aggravated vehicular assault charges, Wireman faces nine months to three years in years on each third-degree felony. His driver's license could be suspended from two years to life, depending on the conviction.

Judge Jim Conway ordered a SCRAM unit be placed on Wireman's vehicle "to see if there is any alcohol." Upon verification of insurance, the defendant can have limited driving privileges for work.

On May 31 after a suspected assault at Dave's Food Mart, Wireman went southbound on Norwood Avenue. Norwalk Police Detective Sgt. Seth Fry has said an officer already was in the area and attempted to stop him. Dave's is located at the intersection of Norwood and Benedict avenues.

"The vehicle didn't stop. A short pursuit ensued," Fry said.

The officer continued pursuing Wireman until there was a crash on Ridge Road. The accident happened at 2:29 a.m. about 2 miles south of New State Road in Bronson Township. The state Highway Patrol handled the investigation.

Wireman was southbound on Ridge Road before crashing. Troopers said he failed to negotiate a curve in the road, went off the left side and hit a ditch. The 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck then overturned several times, ejecting Wireman.

White's Automotive Services towed the truck from the scene.

"Neither the driver nor passenger was wearing their safety belts. Both Charles Wireman and Stephanie Stanley sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash," Lt. Douglas Hamman said in a prepared statement after the crash.

Norwalk firefighters extricated Stanley from the truck by removing the side door. Soon after the crash, she told the Reflector she was wearing her seat belt, but the patrol's report indicated otherwise.

North Central EMS transported Wireman and Stanley from the crash site to Fisher-Titus Medical Center. They then were flown by LifeFlight helicopters to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, where each patient later was released.

___

(c)2015 the Norwalk Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio)

Visit the Norwalk Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) at www.norwalkreflector.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.