Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff sentenced to jail for probation violation in drunk driving case

Tiffin, Ohio — Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff was sentenced to six days in jail Wednesday after violating the terms of his probation for his December 2021 drunk driving arrest.

Shuff, 37, was elected to his first term as a county commissioner in 2020 after serving 12 years on Tiffin City Council.

The violation involves the ignition interlock system installed on Shuff’s vehicle, according to Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court records.

Following his conviction, Shuff filed a request for unlimited driving privileges in November 2022 and agreed to have an ignition interlock system installed. An ignition interlock system is a handheld breathalyzer for car ignitions that’s installed to prevent users from being able to start their vehicle after drinking alcohol. The court granted Shuff’s request and the device was installed on his vehicle on Nov. 21, 2022.

According to court documents, Shuff committed a violation of the ignition interlock device on Jan. 10, 2023, when he attempted to operate his vehicle with a positive alcohol reading on the ignition interlock system, which prevented the vehicle from starting.

During a probable cause hearing Wednesday, visiting Judge Paul G. Lux found Shuff guilty of violating the terms of his probation and sentenced him to six days in jail. He will be required to report for his jail sentence on April 1, 2023.

The judge also suspended Shuff’s driver’s license with no driving privileges, effective immediately, through Feb. 1, 2024, and extended his probation to the same date.

On Dec. 27, 2021, Shuff was driving a black 2020 Dodge Ram pickup truck eastbound on Water Street when he was pulled over by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper for failure to use a turn signal, according to a police report.

During the traffic stop, the trooper suspected Shuff was intoxicated and administered a breathalyzer test. According to the police report, Shuff blew a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.228, which is nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08. Shuff was then arrested and charged with OVI and a turn signal violation.

Shuff pleaded no contest on April 18, 2022. He was found guilty and sentenced to 90 days in jail with 84 days suspended, however, his sentence was stayed pending appeal. His appeal was rejected by the Ohio Third District Court of Appeals in November 2022.

Shuff declined to comment on the matter through his attorney, Dean Henry.

Commissioners Anthony Paradiso and Bill Frankart released a joint statement following Shuff’s hearing Wednesday.

“Drinking and driving is a serious crime and all citizens, regardless of their position or status, must face the consequences of their actions. On a personal level, we are praying for Tyler and only want the best for him in the future,” Paradiso and Frankart said in the statement provided to TiffinOhio.net.