Trial set for former Glenwood principal

CTY principal24p William Buzzell, left, with attorney Jeff Helmick, appears Monday in Wood County Common Pleas Court in Bowling Green. THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER Enlarge | Photo Reprints

BOWLING GREEN -- William Buzzell, the former Rossford elementary school principal, will stand trial this spring on charges accusing him of keeping child pornography on his home computer.

Judge Reeve Kelsey set a trial date of April 18 in Wood County Common Pleas Court.

Mr. Buzzell, 46, of Perrysburg is indicted for three felony counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and one count of possessing criminal tools.

Mr. Buzzell was arrested in March 2011, after Perrysburg police did a search of his home and Glenwood office. Initial reports filed in Perrysburg Municipal Court accuse Mr. Buzzell of possessing and sharing computer files on his home computer that showed children fondling themselves.

If convicted, Mr. Buzzell — who had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges — could face up to 25 years in prison. His attorney, Jeffrey Helmick, told Judge Kelsey Monday that his client wished to take the case to trial.

Both Mr. Buzzell and Mr. Helmick declined to comment after the short court hearing Monday in Bowling Green. His pretrial hearing is scheduled for March 5.

The ex-principal of Glenwood Elementary School is currently on unpaid leave at Rossford schools. A former teacher and then assistant principal at Olmsted Falls Middle School in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, Mr. Buzzell was hired as Glenwood principal in August 2000.

Before a school board meeting Monday night, interim Superintendent Bill McFarland said the former principal is not receiving salary or health benefits and has not been paid a severance check for unused vacation time.

Mr. Buzzell’s status as a Rossford school employee has to legally remain unless he resigns, is found guilty by the courts and loses his administrative license, or until his contract expires at the end of the school year, Mr. McFarland said.

“We’re kind of in limbo, to a certain extent,” he said.

Mr. Buzzell is free on a recognizance bond. Conditions of that bond previously imposed by the judge include that he is not permitted to be on school grounds or to have contact with students..

The district hired Paul Gibbs as the new Glenwood principal last year.