[Cite as State v. Degraffinreed, 2012-Ohio-5166.]

COURT OF APPEALS 

STARK COUNTY, OHIO 

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

STATE OF OHIO 

 Plaintiff-Appellee 

-vsRAMONE K. DEGRAFFINREED 

 Defendant-Appellant 

JUDGES: 

Hon. W. Scott Gwin, P.J. 

Hon. William B. Hoffman, J. 

Hon. John W. Wise, J. 

Case No. 2012CA00087 

O P I N I O N 

CHARACTER OF PROCEEDING: Appeal from the Stark County Court of 

Common Pleas, Case No. 2011CR01867 

JUDGMENT: Affirmed 

DATE OF JUDGMENT ENTRY: November 5, 2012 

APPEARANCES: 

For Plaintiff-Appellee For Defendant-Appellant 

JOHN D. FERRERO MATTHEW A. PETIT 

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY, 116 Cleveland Ave. NW., Suite 808 

STARK COUNTY, OHIO Canton, Ohio 44702 

By: RENEE M. WATSON 

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney 

Appellate Section 

110 Central Plaza, South – Suite 510 

Canton, Ohio 44702-1413 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 2

Hoffman, J. 

{¶1} Defendant-appellant Ramone K. Degraffinreed appeals his convictions 

and sentence entered by the Stark County Court of Common Pleas. Plaintiff-appellee is 

the state of Ohio. 

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS AND CASE 

{¶2} On December 6, 2011, around 6:45 p.m., Stephanie Weisel was crossing 

the street at Fourth Street and Cherry Avenue, Canton, Ohio. At the same time, a silver 

Audi vehicle sped down the road at approximately 45 to 50 miles per hour. The driver 

struck Weisel causing serious physical injury to her, and considerable damage to the 

hood and windshield of the Audi vehicle. The driver of the vehicle did not stop, instead 

leaving the scene of the accident. 

{¶3} Scarlett Girtt, who witnessed the accident, called for help. Paramedics 

and Canton Police Officers responded to the scene. Witnesses at the scene provided 

the officers with the vehicles' license plate number and description. The address 

associated with the license plate was 201 Hartford Avenue SE, Canton, Ohio. Officers 

arrived at that address within twenty minutes of the call. 

{¶4} Upon arrival at the residence, the officers found a silver Audi parked in the 

driveway, with the hood of the car still warm. The windshield of the car was crushed, 

and there appeared to be hair and other organic matter stuck on the broken glass. 

{¶5} The owner of the vehicle, Alfonso Currie, came to the door. He indicated 

he did not drive the car that day, but his nephew, Appellant, had driven the vehicle. 

Currie further indicated Appellant had recently come home with the car. Currie gave the 

officers permission to enter the home and search for Appellant. 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 3

{¶6} The officers then found Appellant in the back bedroom, lying on the bed, 

fully clothed and passed out. Appellant was placed under arrest. As he was not 

cooperative, the officers forcibly placed him in cuffs. Testimony at trial indicates 

Appellant reeked of alcohol, was groggy and unsteady on his feet, and had slurred 

speech. He was incoherent, and was placed in the back of the cruiser. 

{¶7} Officer Eric Brown, a crash reconstruction expert, testified, based on the 

debris left on the road and the condition of the scene of the accident, the vehicle 

involved in the accident was a European car. He further testified he observed Appellant 

intoxicated, smelling of alcohol, noticing glassy and bloodshot eyes, and slow, slurred 

speech. Appellant admitted to Officer Brown he had been "getting drunk all day", and 

had been driving down East Tuscarawas Street just minutes prior to the accident. 

Appellant told Officer Brown he had only been at his uncle's house for about ten 

minutes before the officers arrived. Brown later determined Weisel was a step or two 

from the curb when Appellant hit her, traveling anywhere from 31 to 60 miles per hour. 

{¶8} On January 17, 2012, Appellant was indicted on one count of aggravated 

vehicular assault, in violation of R.C. 2903.08, a felony of the second degree; one count 

of vehicular assault, in violation of R.C. 2903.08, a felony of the third degree; one count 

of failure to stop after an accident, in violation of R.C. 4549.02, a felony of the fifth 

degree; one count of operating a vehicle impaired, in violation of R.C. 4511.19, a 

misdemeanor of the first degree; and one count of driving under suspension, in violation 

of R.C. 4510.14, a misdemeanor of the first degree. 

{¶9} On March 12, 2012, Appellant entered a plea to driving under suspension. 

Following a jury trial, Appellant was convicted of the remaining charges, except the jury 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 4

returned a verdict on the failure to stop after an accident as a misdemeanor of the first 

degree. The State dismissed the charge of vehicular assault. 

{¶10} The trial court sentenced Appellant to a term in prison of eight years for 

the aggravated vehicular assault charge, and six months for each of the remaining 

convictions, the terms to be served concurrently. The trial court additionally imposed 

thirty-four points on Appellant's driver's license, and suspended his license for a term of 

twenty years. 

{¶11} Appellant now appeals, assigning as error: 

{¶12} “I. THE DEFENDANT’S CONVICTIONS FOR ONE COUNT OF 

AGGRAVATED VEHICULAR ASSAULT, ONE COUNT OF FAILURE TO STOP AFTER 

ACCIDENT, ONE COUNT OF OVI, AND ONE COUNT OF DRIVING UNDER OVI 

SUSPENSION WERE AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT AND SUFFICIENCY OF 

THE EVIDENCE.” 

I. 

{¶13} In the sole assignment of error, Appellant maintains his convictions are 

against the manifest weight and sufficiency of the evidence. 

{¶14} On review for sufficiency, a reviewing court is to examine the evidence at 

trial to determine whether such evidence, if believed, would support a conviction. State 

v. Jenks (1991), 61 Ohio St.3d 259. “The relevant inquiry is whether, after viewing the 

evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have 

found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt.” Jenks at 

paragraph two of the syllabus, following Jackson v. Virginia (1979), 443 U.S. 307. On 

review for manifest weight, a reviewing court is to examine the entire record, weigh the 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 5

evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider the credibility of witnesses and 

determine “whether in resolving conflicts in the evidence, the jury clearly lost its way and 

created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the conviction must be reversed and 

a new trial ordered.” State v. Martin (1983), 20 Ohio App.3d 172, 175. See also, State v. 

Thompkins, 78 Ohio St.3d 380, 1997–Ohio–52. The granting of a new trial “should be 

exercised only in the exceptional case in which the evidence weighs heavily against the 

conviction.” Martin at 175. We note “circumstantial evidence may be more certain, 

satisfying and persuasive than direct evidence.” State v. Richey, 64 Ohio St.3d 353, 

1992–Ohio–44. It is to be given the same weight and deference as direct evidence. 

Jenks, supra. 

{¶15} Specifically, Appellant asserts his conviction for aggravated vehicular 

assault, in violation of R.C. 2903.08, is against the manifest weight of the evidence as 

the State did not meet the burden of proving the identity of the driver that struck the 

victim. Further, Appellant contends the State failed to establish he operated a motor 

vehicle impaired, in violation of R.C. 4511.19; therefore, the aggravated vehicular 

assault conviction must fail. 

{¶16} R.C. 2903.08 reads, in pertinent part, 

{¶17} "(A) No person, while operating or participating in the operation of a motor 

vehicle, motorcycle, snowmobile, locomotive, watercraft, or aircraft, shall cause serious 

physical harm to another person or another's unborn in any of the following ways: 

{¶18} "(1)(a) As the proximate result of committing a violation of division (A) of 

section 4511.19 of the Revised Code or of a substantially equivalent municipal 

ordinance;" 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 6

{¶19} R.C. 4511.19 reads, in pertinent part, 

{¶20} "(A)(1) No person shall operate any vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley 

within this state, if, at the time of the operation, any of the following apply: 

{¶21} "(a) The person is under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a 

combination of them." 

{¶22} Based upon our review of the record, and as set forth in the Statement of 

the Facts and Case, supra, we find Appellant's convictions are not against the manifest 

weight and sufficiency of the evidence. 

{¶23} During his interview with Officer Brown, Appellant admitted to drinking all 

day and consuming "2-24 ounce cans of Colt 45 and a shorty of wine." He stated he 

was driving fast down East Tuscarawas, but did not remember hitting anyone. He had 

been home ten minutes before the officers arrived at his uncle’s residence. Tr. at 234-

237. 

{¶24} Further, the responding officer observed Appellant passed out on the bed, 

fully clothed, with a strong odor of alcohol, glassy, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. 

The vehicle in question showed significant damage consistent with the injuries 

sustained by the victim herein. Accordingly, we find the State produced ample, credible 

evidence to support each conviction. There is no evidence the jury lost its way due to 

improper considerations. 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 7

{¶25} Appellant's convictions and sentence in the Stark County Court of 

Common Pleas are affirmed. 

By: Hoffman, J. 

Gwin, P.J. and 

Wise, J. concur 

 s/ William B. Hoffman _________________

 HON. WILLIAM B. HOFFMAN 

 s/ W. Scott Gwin_____________________

 HON. W. SCOTT GWIN 

 s/ John W. Wise _____________________

 HON. JOHN W. WISE 

 
Stark County, Case No. 2012CA00087 8

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR STARK COUNTY, OHIO 

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT 

STATE OF OHIO : 

 : 

 Plaintiff-Appellee : 

 : 

-vs- : JUDGMENT ENTRY 

 : 

RAMONE K. DEGRAFFINREED : 

 : 

 Defendant-Appellant : Case No. 2012CA00087 

 For the reasons stated in our accompanying Opinion, Appellant's convictions and 

sentence entered by the Stark County Court of Common Pleas are affirmed. Costs to 

Appellant. 

 s/ William B. Hoffman _________________

 HON. WILLIAM B. HOFFMAN 

 s/ W. Scott Gwin_____________________

 HON. W. SCOTT GWIN 

 s/ John W. Wise _____________________

 HON. JOHN W. WISE