WEATHER'KKK prank' trooper arrested on DUI, weapons charges
Oct 30
2011
(UPDATED 3:30 p.m. with 911 call and report) A trooper who participated in a KKK prank in 2008 now faces drunken driving and weapons charges after crashing his truck this weekend.
Eric E. Wlodarsky, a trooper with the Milan post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, first made headlines three years ago for taking a picture of a fellow trooper dressed in Ku Klux Klan-like garb while on duty the day before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In a turn of events early Sunday morning Wlodarksy crashed his truck into a tree on Ohio 13, less than a mile south of Ohio 2.
The first call for help came from a resident at 12:59 a.m.
Click on the player above to listen to the 911 call.
“The resident either heard the crash or heard the horn blowing,” Sheriff’s Capt. Paul Sigsworth said.
Wlodarsky called 911 a short time later to ask that the Ohio State Highway Patrol be dispatched to his location. Sheriff’s deputies, however, were already en route, so the Patrol did not show up until after Wlodarsky had already taken and failed field sobriety tests, Sigsworth said.
Wlodarsky initially told deputies that his companion was the driver, Sigsworth said. The woman — as yet unidentified — denied being the driver, however, and Wlodarsky eventually confessed to deputies that he was indeed the driver.
While searching Wlodarsky’s truck, deputies also found a loaded handgun. It was not his Patrol-issued weapon.
Deputies arrested Wlodarsky for driving while intoxicated, failure to control and possessing weapons while intoxicated, Sigsworth said.
A deputy took him to the Huron Police Department, where Wlodarsky submitted to an alcohol breath test. He blew a reading of 0.13 percent blood alcohol content. The legal limit is 0.08 percent or below.
Neither Wlodarsky nor the woman sustained injuries in the crash, Sigsworth said.
He was not booked into the jail and instead was issued a summons for his charges. His gun was confiscated and deputies released him to a sober party.
The trooper was scheduled to appear in Erie County Municipal Court at 8:30 a.m. Monday. He did not appear, however, and a lawyer called on his behalf. It will be rescheduled for later this week, a clerk at the court said.
Wlodarsky has been placed on desk duty, and relieved of his duty weapon, badge, and cruiser, pending an administrative investigation into the incident, said Patrol spokeswoman Lt. Anne Ralston.
Read the Erie County Sheriff's report by clicking on the PDF below:
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09:12 PM
Ned Mandingo says
Let me call my buddies so they can cover for me.
GUILTY. Case closed.
03:12 PM
ReallyGood says
I figured that much
01:49 AM
EZOB says
Bearcat--Taxpayer,
Both of you guys are right but I think Issue 2 will be defeated. I voted today and you need to realize that we are now in the Minority. There are more government workers and they vote for each other no matter the issue. In the private sector even with a union, this guy and his buddies would have been fired with the KKK incident. I'd like to really know how many errant reports he filed to arrest different drivers. You can bet it is a long list, Karma really is a B*#ch.
03:11 AM
Annoying squirrel says
YeahOkay says
My good friend has a local trooper as a friend on facebook. In his bio, it reads "I like to take care of my people" hmmm.....just saying
Really? Your good friend. I guess i consider myself "my good friend" too. You can do this with anything anybody says on facebook by the way, or anywhere else. Wlodarsky asked for the post cuz they investigate 95+% of the crashes in erie county. There is no evidence the trooper who got there would even think about losing his job over this drunk fool....just saying.
04:08 PM
imjusLIVING says
i know thats right
11:37 AM
ReallyGood says
My good friend has a local trooper as a friend on facebook. In his bio, it reads "I like to take care of my people" hmmm.....just saying
08:31 AM
El Guapo says
Taxpayer and other right wingnuts, until he is convicted of this, he is technically just accused at this point. Taxpayer, the only thing that will stop him from getting fired is if a good lawyer, private sector, gets him off, which is unlikely, evidence is stacked against him. As Taxpayer would say, no UNION protection WOULD save his JOB if he cant DRIVE to work OR show up to work due to being in JAIIL HAHA!
I judge you, you should remove christian from your signature, you are obviously lying and can not believe issue 2 was the reason this man chose to drink and drive. Jeebus would not be pleased with you, lol. Also do you recognize this :
You rightwinger evangelicals should not be covetting your neighbors right to collective bargenning rights, health benefits etc.. Unless you are all CINO's: Christians in name only :)
10:08 PM
I Judge you says
If issue 2 passes not only will it cut down on events like this but time will actually travel in reverse and Eric E. Wlodarsky would of called a cab that night and had sweet sweet time when he got home. Vote yes on issue 2!
03:17 PM
bearcat says
SO VOTE YES ON 2 VOTE YES ON 2
11:13 AM
Taxpayer says
All of you can DEMAND for him to be FIRED all you want because it will NOT happen. And all of YOU are RESPONSIBLE. He is under UNION protection! I am sure most of you crybabies understand what THAT means. How about that Erie County deputy involved in a sexual CRIME? Guess who protected him? This trooper was not FIRED before during that stunt before MLK day because of UNION protection! YOU are the ones who VOTED for all this so keep your traps SHUT! First, there will be a criminal investigation by Erie County and prosecutors. Second, there will be an internal investigation by the Highway Patrol. Third, this piece of work will get an attorney and will DELAY the docket for a YEAR with motions and requests for discovery. Fourth, if he is discharged by OSP in Columbus, the GRIEVANCE and ARBITRATION process by the UNION will immediately begin for unjust discharge. So get OFF your soapbox to HANG someone when YOU are the ones who tolerate this behavior. As a business owner, ANY employee, no matter what race they are, makes RACIST jokes, they will be FIRED! There will be NO negotiation. Even if it is my best employee. The termination will be short and sweet with their personal items in a box. I can NOT afford the insurance to employ LOSERS with driving records. How hard is that? But, in a liberal UNION state, he will keep getting a tax paid, payroll check for a long time before this finally gets adjudicated or he is forced to resign. "FIRE HIM!" "Unpaid leave!" Ha! Ha!
10:20 AM
Cowboy says
My question is why isn't this cop on unpaid leave? Instead they are letting him work still behind a desk and continue to get paid. He does not show the integrity needed to be a Trooper. He lied during the investigation, tried to get another Officer to lie for him, how can this guy ever present evidence again in a court of law? Never! This is a no brainer! YOU ARE FIRED! Pack your bags and go apply for a job at Kellys Island.
08:24 AM
Pete says
http://www.serb.ohio.gov/sections/research/web%20contracts/09-MED-04-051...
Somebody read through this and see what it is going to take to fire him. I don't have time to read all 148 pages of the contract
06:45 AM
ex local says
Get it right and FIRE HIM this time! He should have never been given another chance to be a LEO officer. I think this is one time the union defended the wrong guy. What a black eye to the LEO community. Thank God he didn't kill anyone.
06:24 AM
Julie R. says
JohnDorian12: I don't hate Erie County ---- but I do hate your hypocrite corrupt public officials. Not all of them, of course --- just the ones I know for a FACT are corrupt.
05:53 AM
Centauri says
What was done was wrong but with the right lawyer this could take a totally different spin............ONE HUGE ERROR is glaring at me in this report.....
I see it. With the right lawyer, Wlodarsky will have the charges dismissed.
I see that one of my comments was deleted for personal attacks. It was not against Wlodarsky. It was against the male officers stripping down (raping) an innocent woman in the video that I Judge you provided. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WNM-IGASP4 If that incident happened in Erie County, the Register would be all over that story.
There will always be bad and dishonest cops, troopers and others involved in law enforcement and the legal system. Laws are written so that all must abide by them. I abide by the laws even though I disagree with some of the laws and try to change them. Nobody should be given a free pass.
Some seem to think that the Ohio State Highway Patrol is the most top notch LE organization in Ohio. They are not. Some troopers act very arrogant and above the law compared to Sandusky's PD members. There are some exceptions.
http://www.knarfoh.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1911
Ohio State Highway Patrol Wall Of Shame
11:48 PM
Anti-Gov says
Well Said es2011 What are these people thinking. No big deal till it finally reaches them and their jobs and they are making $10. an hour too and its coming. The teachers though I'm still not sure about. anyway VOTE NO! Back to the Patrol. Please learn how to act and treat people. Always setting up saftey checks ect.... Always looking for trouble and many of us get harrassed for no reason in the process. Oh I forgot they are trying to save lives.
11:22 PM
es2011 says
I love how all of these people think this has something to do with Issue2!!!!!!!
How does eliminating collective bargining for public employees have any thing to do with this.
Think about all of the other people this will affect beside police , fire and nurses. This also effects
teachers, odot workers, odjfs. All of these people spouting vote yes for issue 2 probably have no idea there is already legislation written in the state house to eliminate over time for all Ohio workers!!!!!!
Kasich is just waiting to see if he can get this to pass so he can start on the public sector. This is not just a union issue for public employees, this is an open door to screw the middle class.While all of us suffer and allow politicians to take everything away from us while they retain all of thier benefits.they contine to get rich of the backs of hard working ohioans and appoint all of thier buddies to these cushy jobs .Wake up people
09:52 PM
patriot5 says
@ JD: ya I should of worded that differently such as: one bad apple tarnishes the images of them all. I find it that much more hilarious being a highway patrol. They set up on their high horse, with their militant attitudes, and God complex. Half those highway patrol wont even let you talk. I especially enjoyed the lying about who was driving part. Driving around with spent containers in his truck cab, no common sense!
09:43 PM
Anti-Gov says
What would happen if you tried to explain your side of the story to one of these Troopers? Would they want to hear it. Would they stick up for you? NO! Why would anyone defend them? Are we allowed to be human? Is it asking to much for them to lead by example and have a zero tollerance? It makes no sence why this is a headline. WHATEVER!
09:25 PM
RUKidding says
Hmmmm, could he be just a moron?
09:04 PM
JohnDorian12 says
@ JulieR
Why do you even post anymore? All you do is use ANY article as a platform to spew your hatred of Erie County and tell everyone how untrustworthy everyone is......I have read so many posts from people who dismiss everything you say...
@ Notsomuchasawhisper
LOL, if you believe that, then you dont read the register very often, if it is a public servant who is in trouble, they get bumped to the front of the line...
@ patriot5
One bad cop spoils them all?? Really? Isnt that kinda like saying because one person from a specific ethnic group it bad, that they are all bad?? No one is defending this troopers actions, he made a REALLY bad decision and will most likely pay a steep price....but im sure you dont understand that, because all your decisions have been the RIGHT one, is that correct?? Talk about a hypocrit
07:55 PM
bearcat says
JUST SAY YES ON 2 JUST SAY YES ON 2
JUST SAY YES ON 2 JUST SAY YES ON 2
07:40 PM
Anti-Gov says
Goes to prove my theory. The patrolman don't even need the errors to get off.
07:02 PM
my oh my says
I hate to say this but my gosh a lot of errors and loopholes and typos in the report here. What was done was wrong but with the right lawyer this could take a totally different spin............ONE HUGE ERROR is glaring at me in this report.....
05:40 PM
Warhol_89 says
They are doing great with the drug busts on the turnpike even though I believe they're using some kind of infrared equipment. Now if they could only read the characteristics of their fellow officers when they're disobeying the law. Then it would be a safer place. And yes they are very mean to us when we're stopped. Which brings this question to mind, did the sherriff get any points for this arrest? He should of and thanks so much to him for doing the right thing. Now that is how respect is earned.
05:11 PM
Return of Dragon II says
First of all, I think Dep. Nick Kotsopoulos should be commended for doing the right thing. If you read the report Wlodarsky asked not once but twice for "Nick to take care of it" before he threw the girl under the bus and tried to blame her. He must have been pretty confident that he was going to get away with it because he did not even bother to remove the beer cans wine bottle and the gun from his vehicle. There should be a law against "professional courtesy". As I see it, those putting others above the law are stealing the honesty and integrity of the officers that do the right thing. We are all entitled to equal protection under the law so it is clearly an abuse of office to give people a pass when they are clearly in violation of the law.
06:23 PM
Anti-Gov says
This will never hold up. They almost always get out of it. Does anyone know why he called for the State Patrol first? What would have happened if they showed up first? We all know. This is a real joke. Live by the sword,Die by the sword. Lead by example guys! I hope the sherriff was very nasty to the Patrolman. Like the Patrol are when they stop you and when they find out your not drunk it's even worse. I respect all local Police and Sherriff agencies, But I dislike the Ohio State Patrol and have no respect for them at all. No, not because I've been ticketed. I just don't like all I see them do and get away with. And if I'm pulled over please be decent to me if I did nothing wrong. But usually they'll find something. If you haven't read the police report yet, please do so. This guy is a full blooded trooper.
04:34 PM
concernedtruth says
Sadly to say this young man's life is probably over as a law enforcement officer and because he felt that he could beat the system and probably thought he did with the previous actions in 2008. Yes we are all human and make mistakes, however we need to hold someone in this type of authority in higher standards than others. If in fact the passing of Issue 2 would help in removing those individuals who otherwise would not of been able to be removed for such action, maybe it is a time to take away some of the rights of unions and to rid our city and state of those who abuse the system in this way and are continually rewarded because of their membership in a union. On another note, I hope this young man gets straightened out and can get back to helping others rather than this current life style that thankfully did not have anyone getting hurt as a result of his drunk driving.
03:32 PM
grannie G says
KARMA!
02:58 PM
patriot5 says
02:43 PM
Cowboy says
Voting YES on issue 2 will punish this type of behavior and weed out the cops who really don't care about their reputation.
02:03 PM
here in ohio says
This guy is a waste !!!!
01:40 PM
Julie R. says
Blaming Matt Westerhold and the SR for the ignorance of this trooper would be like blaming the Plain Dealer for reporting on the massive two decades of corruption the FEDS have uncovered in Cuyahoga County. No wonder Ohio is in the shape it's in.
12:53 PM
Blacktigress says
This is the reason I'm voting YESS on Issue 2
12:51 PM
everyday joe says
WELL SAID JOHN DORIAN 12!!!!
11:38 AM
amiershabazz says
He will keep his job he one of the good ol boys grand wizard09:58 AM
Annoying squirrel says
If joeschmoe the walmart greeter took kkk photos on the job and texted them and the register found out, then joe schmoe got a dui later in life with a gun, im certain the register would make it a headline story.
09:54 AM
Annoying squirrel says
Yeahokay, if you're gonna use initials then how bout you tell us yours.
09:53 AM
JohnDorian12 says
Wait, Wait, Wait.....so are you telling me that Police Officers are actually....HUMAN??? WHAT???? I thought they were robots, programed to do everything right and not make any mistakes.....you mean they actually can make mistakes? When I read the Sandumpsky Register, i am lead to believe that if a Police Officer makes a human mistake that thousands of people make every year, he should be stoned to death or at least given a stiffer penalty than a "normal" person....it isnt like their jobs anymore stressful than a whimpy newspaper editor who leads countless drone "reporters" to pry into the personal lives of public servants, when he himself has SEVERAL skeletons in his closet....And I MUST be a cop, becaue ONLY cops post in support of other cops...right??
Look, im not giving this trooper a free pass, he should and will be punished for what he did. But if this was Joe Schmoe who was a Wal-Mart greeter this would barely make the Police Blotter. And I get that cops are supposed to be held to a higher standard than us "normal" people, but because they are they just have further to fall. Im not saying I even feel sorry for him, but he made a mistake and he got caught. It is because of his job that this is news....this is the same paper that plastered Sgt. Mark Kussers name in its paper and he accidentally hit his grandkid while he was OFF DUTY!!!
Im not a cop, but I happen to be one who respects what they do and realize what kind of world it would be if there were no cops. I am one who still remembers what happened last March to Ofc. Dunn and know that none of the officers got into this line of work to get rich. So before all you people start bashing this guy more than he should be, think what would happen if this dump of a paper had access to your personal business and could plaster it all over the internet, so that every little mistake you made was there for every "perfect" person to scrutinize. Something tells me you wouldnt like it either.....but im guessing those who post bashing this guy wont put a whole lot of thought into what you write...once again Matt Westerhold can hold onto his job because another cop made a mistake and he is able to sell papers at his expense, what a stand up guy, your mother should be proud Matt!!
09:53 AM
flippyphil says
What a scumbag . Put him under the jail where he belongs .
09:51 AM
crazyl13985 says
Several years ago a Clyde, Ohio policeman was stopped by the OSP driving drunk in Clyde. Tests showed that he was indeed over the limit. The charges against him were reduced, the drunk driving charge evaporated. He was charged with a misdemeanor and the whole issue was swept under the rug. I suggest Mr. Wlodarsky contact the attorney that represented the Clyde, Ohio police officer. He could hold his broom at the ready in one hand while dialing the phone with the other. Problem solved.
09:49 AM
PaulYall says
Well i know who will be hiring!
09:48 AM
Pragmatic says
09:45 AM
Annoying squirrel says
How would issue 2 affect this? If anything, this guy would keep his job without a contract due to the "friends in high places" that screwed up his first discpline thus opening the door for his reinstatement. He could have been fired per the collectively bargained contract after the kkk thing, but the higher ups (not in the union due to their rank) chose to go easy on him due to personal friendships. Then, when the story got too big, the governor stepped in and ordered him fired. But it was too late. Management made the first deal and so wasnt allowed to change it legally, union or not. You all way overestimate the power of a union that cant even strike. As for the weapons charges, if he had a loaded gun in the car, it is not a "weak charge'" it is a felony 5 when you get an ovi and a felony 4 if its on your person.
09:23 AM
Cowboy says
VOTE YES ON ISSUE 2 and help get rid of people like this!
09:20 AM
grandmasgirl says
The KKK prank couldn't have killed anyone. It might have made them uncomfortable, but they wouldn't have died from it. On the other hand, driving drunk could and have killed and maimed many people. You think we set higher standards for our officers? Yes, we do. That is why they get discounts at some grocery stores. I had an officer (off duty) in front of me one day that got 5% off his bill. They also do this for hospital employees and firefighters. (I am thinking of the store that I patronize, I don't know if they all do it.) They are called our Heros. I am aware that they do not all break the rules, but I know that if I broke the rules at work, I would have been gone.
09:15 AM
Perkins2060 says
VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2!!! I would rather see massive lay offs than simple little bargaining rights being taken away!
VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2!
09:05 AM
The Answer Person says
KKK photo? Is that REALLY necessary? Register just can't let it go? That was not him in the photo. Give it a rest. One can hope that someday you will get YOUR comeuppence and we can read about you guys in the Lorain papers....
08:53 AM
El Guapo says
Lol at the repuglicans trying to blame this on unions and make it pro SB5/Issue 2 gimmick. This guy was off work and made poor choices, was caught and removed from the road by PUBLIC WORKERs (ECSO), was charged, will lose his job (which repubs say cant happen as he they say union state employees cant get fired.) Other public workers (prosecuter and judge) will see that he is punished for his bad choices. Do and of you loons on the right think he only went drinking because he worked at OSP and was a government employee, it makes no sense.
08:19 AM
myname says
I think this is GREAT news!!!