Man enters plea in case of May police pursuit

CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) — A 19-year-old Columbiana man entered a plea agreement in court Friday after May reports state he was drinking underage and evaded police .

Seth Portwood, 19, pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Court to a charge of physical control, reduced from an OVI first offense. Additional charges for OVI and speed were dismissed.

The charges stem from a May incident where Portwood allegedly was drinking underage at a Salem convenience store. When authorities attempted to contact Portwood, reports state he sped through a parking lot, failed to stop at a stop sign, jumped a curb and turned off his headlights before leading officers on a high-speed chase.

A member of the Ohio State Highway Patrol later conducted a traffic stop in the area of Renkenberger Road and arrested Portwood on OVI charges.

He was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 177 days suspended and 12 months probation. His license was also suspended for one year, although an occupational license was granted.

Portwood was also ordered to pay a total of $615 in court fines and fees.

As part of the same case, he is still facing felony charges of failure to comply and fleeing and failure to comply out of Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, records state.

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