Commissioner Tyler Shuff found guilty on drunk driving charge

Tiffin, Ohio — Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff has been found guilty following a December 2021 traffic stop in which he was charged with failure to use a turn signal and OVI (operating a vehicle while impaired).

During a hearing Monday in Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court, Shuff pleaded no contest after waiving his right to a jury trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to 90 days in jail with 84 days suspended, according to court records.

In addition to the jail sentence, Shuff was sentenced to one year of probation. The court ordered his driver’s license to be suspended for one year, with a credit of 90 days and restricted driving privileges. Shuff must also complete a driver intervention program by Oct. 1, 2022.

Shuff received a fine of $750 for the OVI charge, and a fine of $50 for the turn signal violation, according to court records.

His attorney, Dean Henry, filed a motion for the execution of Shuff’s sentence to be stayed pending appeal. That motion was approved by the court.

A fine hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 4 in Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court.

Watch the dashcam footage of the traffic stop here >

At approximately 1:12 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2021, Shuff was driving a black 2020 Dodge Ram pickup truck eastbound on Water St. when he was pulled over by the Ohio State Highway Patrol for failure to use a turn signal, according to a police report obtained by TiffinOhio.net.

During the traffic stop, the trooper suspected Shuff was intoxicated and administered a breathalyzer test to him.

According to the police report, Shuff complied with the test and blew a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) level of 0.228, which is nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.

Shuff was then arrested and charged with OVI (operating a vehicle impaired).

The 36-year-old Republican was elected to the Seneca County Board of Commissioners in 2020 after serving 12 years on Tiffin City Council.