After saying a “legitimate appellate issue” existed, a Lucas County judge convicted a Fulton County man Friday of second-degree aggravated vehicular homicide for a crash last year that killed a Swanton couple outside Centennial Terrace.
Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Dean Mandros did not elaborate, but the defense lawyer for Donald Christian, 55, of Lyons, Ohio, said the likely appeal has roots in the case’s central issue: whether Christian could be found to have caused the crash that killed Donald and Therese Fern when investigators’ reports cited no causative action beyond his severe drunkenness.
Having presided over a four-day bench trial, Judge Mandros found Christian guilty of one homicide count for each victim plus two misdemeanor drunken-driving counts, while acquitting him of third-degree homicide counts alleging recklessness in the crash…