Sabina man sentenced in aggravated vehicular assault case involving HCSO deputy

A Sabina man charged with aggravated vehicular assault after an accident involving a Highland County Sheriff’s deputy was sentenced Tuesday to two and a half years in prison.

As previously reported, Blake C. Mallow, 21, of Sabina was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in August and charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, one third-degree and one fourth-degree felony; and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them, both first-degree misdemeanors. 

According to court records, Mallow pleaded guilty to the third-degree felony assault charge in September, with the other charges dismissed. For that charge, the indictment alleged that on or about April 10 and continuing through April 11, Mallow “did cause serious physical harm” to a victim “while operating or participating in the operation of” a truck. 

As previously reported by the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the initial investigation alleged that Mallow “traveled left of center and struck” a Highland County sheriff’s deputy head-on. Both Mallow and the deputy suffered “serious injuries” as a result of the crash, the OSHP reported.  

As Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss filed an entry recusing himself, the case was heard by Judge Steven Beathard by assignment.

At the Oct. 27 sentencing hearing, Judge Beathard sentenced Mallow to a mandatory 30 months in prison, with jail time credit of 83 days. In addition, Judge Beathard ordered Mallow’s driver’s license to be suspended for a period of 10 years, beginning Oct. 27.