Pre-trial motion filing deadline extended

Attorneys for Kirtland man accused of killing Mentor police officer granted more time

Attorneys for the Kirtland man accused of striking and killing a Mentor police officer in a hit and run crash have been granted more time to file pretrial motions.

Lake County Common Pleas Court Judge John P. O’Donnell, prosecutors and Brian Anthony’s defense attorneys met in a conference in the judge’s chambers Sept. 18. The defense now has until early November to file additional motions, Lake County Prosecutor Chuck Coulson said.

Anthony, 23, is accused of striking and killing 41-yearold Mentor police officer Mathew Mazany early June 24 while Mazany was providing backup for another officer. Anthony allegedly fled the scene and left his Jeep at the Mentor Lagoons Marina. At the urging of his father, a retired firefighter in another city, Anthony turned himself in to police later that morning.

A trial for Anthony was originally scheduled to be held Sept. 17. Anthony’s attorneys filed a motion Sept. 10 asking the court for more time to file pre-trial motions. That date was the deadline for filing such motions in the case.

Among the reasons for the request, the attorneys stated in the motion they’ve received over 1,000 pages of discovery material and more than 80 gigabytes of compressed files of video evidence. The attorneys stated they are in the process of carefully reviewing all of the material provided.

The trial was continued and a new court date has not yet been set. Another conference between the judge and attorneys in the case is scheduled for Nov. 2 according to court records.

Anthony is a facing second-degree aggravated homicide for Mazany’s death. He also faces second and third-degree felony charges of failing to stop after an accident as well as misdemeanor charges of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of the two; and failing to proceed with due caution, and/or failing to change lanes when approaching a stationary public safety vehicle displaying emergency lights.

Anthony remains in the Lake County Jail in lieu of a $750,000 bond with a 10 percent cash option.