Father found guilty of wrongful entrustment

A Painesville Township man has been found guilty of wrongful entrustment in connection with a July 16 fatal crash at the Kirtland Hills-Mentor border.

Timothy O’Keefe, 62, pleaded no contest to the unclassified misdemeanor Nov. 20 in Mentor Municipal Court and was found guilty by Judge John Trebets.

However, O’Keefe qualifies for a program that allows the case to be dismissed if he completes certain conditions.

O’Keefe’s diversion program hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 22.

Meanwhile, his son’s felony case remains pending in Lake County Common Pleas Court.

Joshua O’Keefe, 21, also of Painesville Township, was driving under suspension when he allegedly attempted to evade a Kirtland Hills police officer and crashed into a fence on the Mentor portion of the driveway located on the property at 8261 Center St. in Kirtland Hills, killing his passenger, 20-year-old female Taylor Castilyn of Perry.

According to Mentor police, the initial investigation indicated that alcohol consumption appeared to be a factor in the crash.

The vehicle involved in the crash belonged to Timothy O’Keefe, according to police.

The wrongful entrustment charge essentially means Timothy O’Keefe allegedly allowed a person without a valid driver’s license to use his car, Mentor Police Lt. Robert Valley said previously.