November 19, 2024

Lush sentenced to community control in felonious assault case

Stephen Lush addressed the court expressing his desire to move on from the case. Photo by Carrie Gloeckner.

POMEROY – Stephen Lush was sentenced to five years of community control on a felonious assault charge in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas.

Lush, of Rutland, appeared before Judge Carson Crow with his counsel, Tommy Saunders. James Stanley was representing the state in the case. Stanley’s predecessor, Colleen Williams, had worked a plea agreement with Lush and his attorney. Lush changed his plea to guilty and was convicted of the one count of felonious assault, a felony of the second degree.

A statement from the victim in the case has since been sealed by order of the court, but that day in the courtroom Meigs County Victim’s Advocate Theda Petrasko informed Judge Crow the victim was in agreement with the plea provided there be no contact from Lush in the future. Judge Crow ordered that Lush was to have no contact with the victim.

Prior to sentencing, Lush was given the opportunity to address the court. “I am sorry this happened. I wish it had never happened,” he said adding that he had “learned from it.”

The plea agreement was for five years of community control, no contact with the victim, costs of prosecution to be paid by Lush and if there is a probation violation, Lush could face 18 months in jail.

“You can’t loose your temper,” Judge Crow told Lush and the judge also ordered that Lush obtain anger management at Woodland Center. Lush has a firearm restriction as well.

The victim’s medical bills were paid by the Ohio Victim’s of Crime Compensation Program.

Lush had been indicted by a Meigs County Grand Jury on September 16, 2015. The victim had been working to repossess a vehicle from Lush when Lush became aggressive resulting in an assault on the victim. A box cutter had even been used to cut the victim.