ORWELL – Councilman David Hartz reported during a Tuesday, March 17, Orwell Village Council meeting that the Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals had upheld the sentence of Jason Slepsky, who pleaded no contest in February 2025 to an impaired driving accident that wrecked a SCAD ambulance, injuring two paramedics and killing the patient being taken to the hospital.
Slepsky’s vehicle, a 1995 Jeep Wrangler, struck a South Central Ambulance District ambulance at the intersection of State Route 528 and Claridon Windsor Road in Huntsburg Township on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, while the ambulance was carrying a patient to UH Geauga Medical Center. The ambulance overturned, traveling off the roadway and Slepsky’s Jeep caught fire after the crash.
William Maley, 47, of Dorset Township, the patient inside the ambulance, was pronounced dead at the scene. SCAD paramedic Jesse Sopko was transported via helicopter to an area hospital where he underwent surgeries. Paramedic Tim Kalbfleisch was injured as well.
Slepsky pleaded no contest in February 2025 to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, all 3rd-degree felonies. He was sentenced in April 2025 to four years’ imprisonment and a six-year license suspension in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.
In other business:
Hartz also reported that the Windsor Township Fire Department has added an EMT to its staff.
In legislation:
• Authorizing the fiscal officer and/or village manager to participate in the Erie Bank Demand Deposit Marketplace (DDM) programming for the purposes of investing certain village funds and monies.
• Adopting a cybersecurity policy in accordance with Ohio HB 96.
• Amending appropriations in various funds within the village budget.
In administrative reports:
Vice President of Council Jeremy Cottrell asked Village Manager Dr. Sean Ratican about summer help in the Public Services Department. Ratican said there is an open position and that he planned to supplement with temporary summer help.
Cottrell said he’d like the village to launch a cadet program for students, since the fire department is staffed during second shift. Ratican said he would look at Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) funding in April.
The Zoning Committee is working on residential inspections and sidewalks, according to Ratican.
At the outset of the meeting, council moved into executive session to discuss discipline of a public employee. Council took no action on this matter during the meeting.
The next regular session meeting of Orwell Village Council is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21, at 5 p.m. at Village Hall, 179 W. Main St.
