Columbus Grove mayor returned to jail for DUI

6/14/2007

OTTAWA, Ohio Columbus Grove Mayor Michael Bogart admitted in court yesterday that he violated his probation for a drunken driving conviction and was sent back to jail to finish serving a 30-day jail sentence.

Putnam County Court Judge Michael O Malley gave Mr. Bogart credit for the six days he had been behind bars and remanded him to the county jail for 24 more days. He also suspended his driver s license for one year.

Last month, Mr. Bogart was convicted of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and resisting arrest for an incident in February. Judge O Malley gave him a suspended jail sentence and allowed him occupational driving privileges with the condition that he have no similar offenses for two years.

Then, early Friday, Mr. Bogart, 50, was asked to take an alcohol breath test at his place of employment in Bluffton, Ohio, failed the test, and drove off. A sheriff s deputy saw him pull into a mobile home park in Pleasant Township a short time later and conducted several alcohol tests the mayor failed.