Plain Twp. man who left scene of crash that injured boy pleads guilty to reduced charge
CANTON ‒ A 75-year-old Plain Township man has pleaded guilty to a charge of obstucting official business for leaving the scene of a collision that injured a child on Labor Day.
Clifford T. Smith was driving a van owned by the Stark County Educational Service Center when it was struck by an 8-year-old boy on a bike. Smith did not stop after the collision.
The boy, Jordan Owens, was in Akron Children's Hospital from Sept. 4 to Oct. 13 recovering from his injuries.
Smith was originally charged with failure to stop after an accident, a fifth-degree felony. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of obstructing official business, a second-degree misdemeanor, on Jan. 22.
Stark County Common Pleas Judge Frank G. Forchione sentenced Smith to 90 days in jail, but suspended the time on condition of two years' good behavior. Smith has paid $646 in fines and court costs.
Educational Service Center Superintendent Joe Chaddock said Smith no longer works for the agency.
"The day I became aware of the incident, Mr. Smith was told by the ESC he was not to report to work," Chaddock wrote in an email. "He was an 'as needed' employee not under contract. He has not performed any services for the ESC since the accident occurred."
Jordan's mother Heather Swiney wrote in an email that she is satisfied with the outcome of the court case.
"The prosecutor kept us up to date on what was going on, and said if it went to trial, he might get convicted and he might not," she wrote.
Both she and Jordan had received subpoenas, which would have required them to testify at Smith's trial. The trial had been scheduled for Thursday.
"Jordan expressed great concern and fear about going to court," Swiney wrote. "Now we can move on with our lives."
She said Jordan is doing "very well." He returned to North Canton Primary School during the week of Thanksgiving. The second grader started by attending class for two days, then having some time off. He continued outpatient rehabilitation from Oct. 16 to Nov. 17, and still does speech and occupational therapy.
"He has adjusted very well and his teachers can't say enough good things about him," Swiney wrote. "Jordan is just a very active 8-year-old who likes school and playing with his friends. "If you did not know him, you would never know that anything had ever happened to him."
Recovery: Plain Township boy injured in bicycle crash expected to leave hospital soon
The report of the crash, written by a deputy sheriff, said Smith was traveling east on Bretton Street NW when the boy, who was traveling north on Norriton Circle NW, failed to obey a stop sign and hit the 16-person passenger van.
Authorities found Smith at his home shortly after the Sept. 4 incident hosing off the van, which had signs of damage on the front passenger tire and side panel. He admitted to a deputy that he collided with the bike but denied knowing there was a child involved, the crash report said.
Smith told a deputy he didn’t stop because he was concerned about losing his job.
His attorney declined to comment.
Yet to be decided is whether Jordan will be riding a bicycle this year.
"He does not have a bike as of now and we will see if he gets one in the summer," his mother wrote.
Plain Township crash: Man, 75, charged after boy, 8, on bike crashes into van
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Clifford Smith sentenced for leaving Plain Twp. accident scene
