Ottawa County indicts man on arson charges

10/3/2006

PORT CLINTON - An Ottawa County grand jury has handed up an indictment of one count each of aggravated arson and arson against a 57-year-old man who allegedly started a fire at a home near his summer house on Middle Bass Island.

David E. Sovol of Bay Village, Ohio, is accused of setting fire to an occupied home under construction either on the evening of July 28 or the early morning of July 29, authorities at the Ottawa County prosecutor's office said.

Aggravated arson is a second-degree felony, and arson is a fourth-degree felony.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Summonses have been issued for four other men who were also indicted yesterday, including:

•Jeffrey J. Paolini, 35, of Columbus for possession of crack cocaine, a felony of the fifth degree. He was also indicted for misdemeanor counts of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia at a residence on Catawba Island in May.

•Lonnie E. Cornett, 39, of Genoa with one count each of breaking and entering and theft, both felonies of the fifth degree. He is accused of entering a Genoa business and taking several thousand dollars of cash.

•Robert E. Zywica, 44, of Cleveland for one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was reportedly on a boat near Gem Beach on Catawba Island on Sept. 4 without proper lighting. Upon investigation, officers reportedly found drugs on the boat.

•Jon L. Saxton, 21, of Port Clinton for one count each of trafficking in marijuana and possession of crack cocaine along with two misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges stem from two incidents where calls were made to police, who found him in possession of the drugs.

All four men are scheduled to make their initial appearances in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 26.