Repeat Offender Accused Of Driving Drunk Again, Violating A Protection Order

A Mentor-on-the-Lake man faces his seventh drunken driving conviction.

He's also accused of violating a protection order while on probation for violating a protection order.

Mentor Police arrested Francis Grenon, 39, Friday, with some help from a Lake County deputy.

Grenon had received a court order earlier that day, telling him not to go the house where his estranged wife lived on Tina Drive in Mentor or to drive the family van.

However, Grenon showed up at the house that evening and let himself inside, Mentor Police Lt. Tim Allen said.

While the wife was not home, her friend was and she told Grenon to leave, Allen said.

Grenon ignored her, took the keys to the family van and began to drive away in it.

The friend called another friend, Lake County Deputy Dan Bachnicki, to intercede, Grenon said. Bachnicki arrived as Grenon was getting out of the van again for an unknown reason.

Bachnicki restrained Grenon while Mentor Police arrived.

Police think Grenon was drunk while driving the van because his breath smelled of alcohol and he refused to take a breathalyzer test, Allen said. He also left an open beer in the van.

Grenon already has six prior drunken driving convictions.

While arresting him, officers noticed that Grenon was wearing a GPS anklet. He is on house arrest, as well as probation for a previous conviction of violating a protection order.

Police charged him with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, violating a protection order, driving under suspension, not having a driver's license and having an open container in the van.

Judge John Trebets set Grenon's bond at $41,000 when he arraigned him Tuesday. Grenon did not post bond.

His next court hearing is scheduled for Thursday.