Fatal crash driver gets prison

SANDUSKY — A Sandusky man was sentenced for his role in the death of a Castalia man last year. DeBlase Dominic Deblase, 32, 1200 block Polk St., pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, which is a second-degree felony and a misdemeanor count of OVI, drunken driving. Three other charges were dismissed in exchange for his plea. On the aggravated vehicular homicide charge, Deblase received a sentence of five to seven-and-a-half years for the April 2023 crash that claimed the life of Castalia resident Danny Sullivan. He received a 180-day sentence for the OVI conviction. The sentences will run concurrently according to Erie County prosecutor Kevin Baxter. The aggravated vehicular homicide conviction comes with a mandatory lifetime driver license ban. The crash Sullivan A memorial sign posted at the site where Danny Sullivan was killed by a drunk driver. Provided At approximately 1:30 p.m. on April 14, 2023, Deblase was driving a 2019 Ford F-150 truck southbound on Bardshar Road, according to a press release from the Sandusky Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol He failed to stop for a stop sign at Bardshar and Mason roads, colliding with a 1976 Mercedes Benz Gazelle kit car driving eastbound on Mason Road. Both vehicles came to a rest in a ditch, the release states. The Gazelle's driver, Sullivan, 68, Castalia, was wearing his seat belt but died from injuries he sustained in the crash. Deblase was also wearing his seatbelt and received "possible injuries," according to the release. After the crash, Deblase was arrested and taken to Erie County Jail. Sullivan was a 1974 graduate of Margaretta High School. He worked for Norwalk Furniture for over 25 years and retired from MTD. He was a softball umpire for over 20 years and he loved to hunt and fish. He is survived by two children and five grandchildren.