Christina Ipavec
For The Post
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The Athens County Democratic chairwoman will not be charged for leaving the scene after hitting a sport utility vehicle Friday and issued a statement to the Athens Police Department asking for a correction on the report last night.
Susan Gwinn struck a black SUV with a rented U-Haul vehicle in a parking lot on Columbus Road, according to police reports. After the accident, a very upset Gwinn walked away without giving any information to the SUV's driver, according to the report. However, Gwinn denies these allegations.
In the statement issued to Athens Police last night, Gwinn said there was very little room to pull out. Gwinn wrote she moved the car once, asked an employee about whether she could make it out, and was told she could. Gwinn then said she realized she had made contact with a black car behind her, and stopped without causing damage. Another U-Haul employee was brought out to move the car, said Gwinn, adding this caused a huge scraping sound.
The owner eventually arrived and moved his vehicle. The owner and Gwinn exchanged information, she said, adding she told him that she would call her insurance company yesterday. At 5:15 p.m., Gwinn went to her law office. The police were called 15 minutes
later, she said.
Athens Police Lt. Randy Gray and Gwinn spoke about an hour after the accident, she said. After an accident on private property, Ohio drivers have 24 hours to provide their contact and insurance information, Gray told The Post, adding this is why Gwinn was not charged.
Gwinn said Gray told her he would get the name of the man who backed the truck up, however, the name is not on the police report.
To say I fled on foot is ridiculous
she said.
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Gail Burkhardt
