TIFFIN, Ohio — Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff was involved in another drunk driving incident Monday evening, though this time he was a passenger.
Around 11:30 p.m., Tiffin Police Department (TPD) officers responded to a call about a white Chevrolet sedan stuck on railroad tracks near the Tiffin University campus. Shuff, who has a documented history of DUI-related legal issues, was identified as a passenger in the vehicle driven by an intoxicated 39-year-old woman, whom TiffinOhio.net is not naming because she is not a public official.
When questioned by officers, Shuff, wearing a Carhartt vest with the Seneca County logo, reportedly avoided directly answering whether he had been drinking, instead referring the officer to his attorney.
He explained, “Something went wrong with her wheel or something. She took a right and got stuck… It’s not like her…” The officer responded that Shuff’s account “doesn’t make any sense,” prompting Shuff to correct himself from “right” to “left” when describing the driver’s direction.
The officer then asked Shuff if he was a front seat or back seat passenger, to which Shuff shook his head and replied, “I’m not going through this again… I’m not doing this again.” He also expressed frustration with his previous DUI experience, telling the officer, “I got fucked on [the] whole thing.”
The female driver was taken into custody, where her blood alcohol level was measured at 0.181, more than double the legal limit of 0.08. She pleaded guilty to an OVI charge on Oct. 30, agreeing to probation conditions that include 15 hours of community service and a substance abuse assessment, along with other restrictions. Shuff was released to a sober driver and allowed to go home.
This incident adds to Shuff’s history of alcohol-related legal troubles. On April 19, 2022, he was found guilty after initially pleading not guilty to operating a vehicle under the influence, stemming from a charge on Dec. 27, 2021.
He was later sentenced to six days in jail in April 2023 for allegedly violating his probation by tampering with his interlock ignition device, a requirement for his vehicle. His license was suspended from Feb. 1, 2023, to Feb. 1, 2024, and his probation was extended to that same date.
Court Records and Legal Background
In connection with the October 28 incident, court records detail the driver’s sentence. She received a $375 fine, plus court and probation fees totaling $853, and her license is suspended, though she may apply for restricted privileges in mid-November. Additional penalties include community service and completion of a drug and alcohol assessment by April 2025.
Shuff’s involvement in this recent DUI case as a passenger has yet to result in additional charges.
TiffinOhio.net has reached out to the Seneca County Commissioners’ office for comment on this story but has not yet received a response.
Note from the Editor:
TiffinOhio.net considers this story newsworthy due to the history of legal issues surrounding Seneca County Commissioner Tyler Shuff, particularly as it underscores a pattern of alcohol-related incidents that could impact his public role. Although Commissioner Shuff was not the driver in this instance, his history raises questions about judgment given his responsibilities as an elected official representing the county. The driver’s identity is withheld, as she is a private individual. Typically, we do not report on non-public officials arrested for OVI or similar offenses, balancing transparency with respect for privacy.
