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Resentencing of EOCC escapee delayed due to technical difficulties

LISBON — The resentencing of a woman charged with escape, car theft and felonious assault for a 2023 incident in Lisbon has been delayed again due to technical issues.

Ashley Croley, 39, Youngstown, was scheduled to appear via video conferencing equipment at 9 a.m. Friday from the women’s prison in Marysville, but there were some issues with the video feed. Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam canceled the hearing and will set a new date.

Washam originally sentenced Croley to a total of eight years in prison, with six years for felonious assault, a second-degree felony, plus an additional two years for third-degree felony escape and fourth-degree felony grand theft of a motor vehicle. A third-degree felony vehicular assault charge was merged with the felonious assault for sentencing.

According to law, the felonious assault charge as a second-degree felony falls under requirements for an indefinite term, which calls for a maximum term that is half of the minimum plus the minimum. In this case, there were also consecutive terms, so the number of years added to the minimum is added to the grand total.

The sentence for the felonious assault should have added three years to the grand total for a maximum of 11 years: two years plus the six years plus three years.

Washam had said the maximum would be 12 years.

The Seventh District Court of Appeals said that didn’t comply with the sentencing law, ruling that the maximum had been miscalculated and should have been 11 years, ordering the case back to Common Pleas Court for resentencing.

On Aug. 5, 2023, Croley climbed a fence and escaped from the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Lisbon, then stole a car from the parking lot of East of Chicago Pizza just up the street. The owner came outside and tried to stop her, but Croley put the car in reverse, causing him to get caught in the door, then she ran over his foot. She left the county in the car, but was later caught.

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