News
Update: Mark Sullivan’s Niece Talks About Confrontation With Athens Co. Commissioner
By: Cheri Russo, Taylor Pool
Posted on:
Update 11:10 am
The niece of Athens County Commissioner Mark Sullivan says a fight that resulted in Sullivan being arrested on a domestic violence charge started over a fight about parking in the driveway.
Sullivan pleaded not guilty in court this morning after his niece, Samantha Sullivan, 29, told police he head-butted her during a heated argument.
The incident happened at a home on Woodlane Drive in Nelsonville where Mark Sullivan lived with his niece and Samantha Sullivan’s grandmother.
Samantha Sullivan says Mark Sullivan left her a nasty note accusing her of blocking him in the driveway with her car.
“In the morning, I recieved a note from Mark regarding the parking situation in my grandmother’s driveway. He was upset that I had blocked him in the day before and he left me a note with rude comments in itand when he arrived home later that day, I confronted him in a calm way about this rude note that he left. He became angry and started pointing his finger and yelling and making more rude comments and basically in the middle of the argument approached me and head-butted me,” says Samantha Sullivan.
Mark Sullivan is being released from the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail on his own recognizance, but has been ordered to have no contact with his niece.
That means he has to find a new place to live, since he lives with his niece.
Sullivan has been arrested before on domestic violence allegations against his wife.
He ended up pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.
“I think he has some anger issues,” says Samantha Sullivan.
Mark Sullivan told police officers at the time of the incident that “he was trying to leave and Samantha ran into him.”
Sullivan was elected early this week as president of the Athens County Commission.
Fellow Commissioner Larry Payne says the situation is a distraction but he’s going to concentrate on running the county.
He says he does not plan to call for Sullivan’s resignation.
Mark Sullivan is running for re-election and has competition in the democratic primary on March 6.
Payne says, “The people will have their say then.”
A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled in the case on February 3 at 8 a.m.
Update 10:03 am
Athens County Commissioner Mark Sullivan says he’s “100 percent not guilty.”
Sullivan made the statement during an appearance in Athens County Municipal Court this morning.
Sullivan is charged with domestic violence after his 29-year-old niece told police he head-butted her during a heated argument.
He is being released from the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail on his own recognizance, but has been ordered to have no contact with his niece.
That means he has to find a new place to live, since he lives with his niece.
A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for February 3rd at 8:00 a.m.
Athens County Commissioner Mark Sullivan has been arrested and is in the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail on domestic violence charges related to his niece.
Sullivan is scheduled to appear in court at 9:30 a.m.
The Nelsonville Police Department responded to reports of a domestic violence incident on Woodlane Drive last night.
Officers say Mark Sullivan’s niece Samantha Sullivan, 29, had a visible injury to her face.
According to the police report, Samantha Sullivan told police “she and her Uncle Mark Sullivan got into a heated argument and Mark head-butted her in the face causing a fat lip.”
Both the victim and a witness filed statements saying Mark Sullivan caused the injury.
The charge is a misdemeanor offense.
Mark Sullivan told officers that “he was trying to leave and Samantha ran into him.”
Mark Sulilvan’s two minor children were present at the the time of the incident.
Sullivan has had a couple run-ins with the law in the past year.
In August, a special prosecutor from the state was appointed to investigate Sullivan at the request of Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.
The investigation started after Sullivan’s estranged wife told deputies he had marijuana plants at his former residence.
Blackburn says he sought a special prosecutor in the case due to a conflict of interest.
In July, Sullivan was ordered to undergo an alcohol-drug evaluation after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.
He was charged with the more serious crime of domestic violence, but agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge.
Sullivan was issued $250 fine and ordered to complete 25 hours of community service.
Authorities say Sullivan hit his wife during an argument in March.