Canfield, Ohio – R. Scott Krichbaum, a judge in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, has pleaded guilty to reckless operation and improperly overtaking/passing a vehicle after crashing his SUV into a bicyclist. However, the legal consequences for Krichbaum may not be over.
Krichbaum, 71, was fined $400 with $100 in court costs by visiting judge David E. Stucki from Stark County. The incident occurred on November 16th when Krichbaum crashed into 19-year-old Cameron J. Wyant on Sharrott Road in Beaver. Wyant was thrown off his bicycle and into a ditch.
Krichbaum left the scene, and his involvement was only discovered a day later when his attorney, Ronald Yarwood, contacted the Beaver police. Yarwood explained that Krichbaum noticed his SUV’s missing passenger-side mirror and saw the accident on the local news.
Restitution for Wyant’s injuries was not included in Friday’s sentencing as Wyant is considering a civil case against Krichbaum. Andrew Rogalski, an assistant prosecutor from Cuyahoga County who was assigned as the special prosecutor for the case, stated that they discussed the possibility of seeking compensatory damages through a private criminal case rather than pursuing restitution in the criminal case.
During the court proceedings, Wyant’s father expressed his disappointment in Krichbaum’s behavior, stating that his son was left injured and stranded on the side of the road. Wyant suffered numbness on his side and received a scar on his arm from the collision, with ongoing issues that he is currently dealing with.
The $400 fine imposed on Krichbaum was the maximum amount for the charges filed against him. Krichbaum, a Republican judge, has been serving on the common pleas court’s general division bench since 1990 and has been reelected for five additional terms. However, he won’t be eligible for reelection in 2026 due to the state’s age limit on judges.
In summary, R. Scott Krichbaum, a judge in Mahoning County, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to charges related to crashing his SUV into a bicyclist. He has been fined $400 and faces a potential civil case from the victim.