Mark Schneider Pleads No Contest to Drunk Driving Charge

Former State Rep. Mark Schneider pleaded no contest to a drunk driving charge Friday afternoon in Mentor Municipal Court.

"Your honor, I made a mistake. I'm here to accept responsibility for my actions," Schneider told Judge John Trebets. "I apologize to the court I apologize to the community for being here under these circumstances. I've spent my career fighting for others. I'd like to put this behind me so I can continue fighting for others."

Trebets accepted Schneider's plea and found him guilty. This is Schneider's only drunk driving conviction.

Trebets sentenced Schneider to five days in jail, which would start July 12. However, Schneider can avoid any jail time if he follows Trebets' directions.

Trebets told Schneider he would knock three days off of his sentence if Schneider took a 72-hour course on the dangers of drunk driving and an additional day off for each day Schneider performs community service.

"You made a mistake," Trebets told Schneider. "Everybody's human. Stuff happens. Continue doing good things."

After Schneider's hearing, Trebets said that was the usual sentence he gave first-time drunk drivers.

, who lives in Mentor, Jan. 17. An officer pulled him over for changing lanes without signaling, Mentor Police Lt. Tom Powers said.

The officer suspected that Schneider was drunk because his eyes were red and glassy, his speech slurred, and he had the scent of alcohol on his breath, Powers said.

Schneider refused to take a Breathalyzer or any field sobriety tests.

Schneider was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2008 and served one term until he lost his seat to Rep. Ron Young. He served the 63rd district, which includes Mentor and the eastern half of Lake County.

Before he was a representative, he worked for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office as an assistant prosecutor on its Major Trials Unit. Schneider has worked for The DiCello Firm since 2008, practicing estate and guardianship law.