A Perrysburg man again appeared in court Tuesday from an incident on May 18, 2008.
Reggie Hohenberger, now 52, was sentenced by Judge Robert Pollex to one year of community control
sanctions for failure to stop after an accident involving injury to persons or property, a fifth-degree
felony.
He previously was convicted in 2009 by a jury of aggravated vehicular assault from the same incident
which injured his wife, Kathleen. Despite the conviction, in September 2010 the case was overturned by
the Sixth District Court of Appeals based on disputed time delays which meant his case was not brought
to conclusion in a timely fashion.
Testimony at his original trial in 2008 indicated he struck his wife with the SUV after the couple had a
disagreement in a bar/restaurant moments earlier.
The new charge was filed this year and Hohenberger pleaded guilty to the charge last month.
The 2008 case also was officially dismissed on Tuesday.
The defendant’s attorney Jerome Phillips argued for no additional sanctions for his client based on the
time he had served on electronic home monitoring, alcohol monitoring, anger management and alcohol
treatment programs completed. His attorney also noted his temporary displacement from his home and
temporary loss of his position as a union leader.
"I believe what he has already gone through is sufficient," Phillips asked Pollex.
The prosecuting attorney Aram Ohanion argued, "This whole situation is a tragedy," as he asked
for community control sanctions to be levied primarily for the purpose of Hohenberger to complete
community service hours previously ordered.
As is commonly the case, victims in the case are allowed to make a statement. Ohanion asked the
defendant’s wife if she wished to make a statement, and from the gallery, she said, "I just want it
over."
The defendant declined to speak.
Pollex said he agreed with both sides and did order the community service hours to the levied in the new
case, and acknowledged the programs Hohenberger has completed. Though he ordered the community control
sanctions to be in force for one year, he offered the idea of entertaining removing them after six
months provided all aspects of the sanctions are complete by that time.
The judge also ordered a $2,000 fine and a one-year license suspension which is required under statutes.
However, the judge did give the defendant credit for the license suspension already served.
"No further punishment, per se, is needed. What he has done is sufficient," the judge said.
Pollex also told Hohenberger he is reserving 10 months in prison should he violate any of the terms of
his sanctions.