02-28-03: Case against teacher's aide likely to go to trial

02-28-03: Case against teacher's aide likely to go to trial

By LANCE MIHM
The Daily Standard

    WAPAKONETA - A case accusing a St. Marys City Schools employee of providing alcohol to minors may be heading to a jury trial.
    A pretrial conference was held Thursday in Auglaize County Municipal Court with the attorneys for defendant Tilly Fleagle, a teacher's aide at St. Marys West Elementary School, and the prosecutor's office.
    Fleagle, 45, 203 N. Ash St., St. Marys, has been accused of providing alcohol to four females, ages 15 and 16, who all attend Memorial High School. The incident allegedly occurred Nov. 23 during the Ohio State-Michigan football game.
    The teacher's aide is accused of providing a 30-pack of Coors Light and a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice to the teens. Fleagle allegedly advised the girls to back up to her garage and then placed the alcohol in the vehicle, court records say.
    According to school records and discussions at recent school board meetings, the four teens were caught drinking that day and later disciplined by the school district for violation of school policies. Municipal Court Judge Gary Herman said a second pretrial will be scheduled after Superintendent Paul Blaine and high school Principal Mike Makley produce copies of any records of meetings with the girls. The administrators were given 14 days to come up with the records.
    Fleagle's attorney Craig Gottschalk, of Gooding, Huffman, Kelley and Becker of Lima, said that a pretrial/trial hearing will be scheduled once the records are produced.
    "I don't see any other way around this other than going to trial," Gottshalk only would say on behalf of his client. "But I think once this goes to trial, Tilly will be vindicated."

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