Porter County probation officer back on job after OWI plea

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Updated: February 23, 2012 8:13AM

VALPARAISO — The Porter County Adult Probation officer who pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor of operating while intoxicated–endangering has been back on the job since Dec. 12.

Five of the county’s six judges and Chief of Adult Probation Steve Meyer reinstated Scott Timmerman after his Dec. 6 sentencing by Lake Superior Court Judge Clarence Murray.

“It came down to what I thought was best for the individual and what was best for this office and county,” Meyer said.

He said the probation department’s goals include seeing clients as functioning members of society with solid jobs, and that a mistake shouldn’t ruin Timmerman’s career. The conviction wouldn’t conflict with Timmerman’s professional duties handling probation transfers between state, Meyer said

He added that Timmerman’s previous OWI charge happened before Porter County employed him, but he doubted Timmerman would be retained if there was another problem.

The county had placed Timmerman on three months unpaid suspension following the Aug. 28 incident, where the vehicle he was driving struck a motorcyclist in a group near 61st Avenue and Delaware Street in Merrillville.

He was originally charged with a felony because it was his second operating a vehicle while intoxicated charge in three years, and he was also charged with hit-and-run.

Police reports said Timmerman’s vehicle was away from the accident when officers arrived, and two motorcyclists boxed him in so he couldn’t drive off.

He registered a 0.15 percent blood alcohol content on a field sobriety test, according to police reports. That’s close to twice the legal limit.

Timmerman received a sentence of a year’s unsupervised probation and a year’s license suspension.

Judge William Alexa said the Porter County judges unanimously approved Timmerman’s re-instatement at their Dec. 12 meeting except for Judge Mary Harper, who removed herself from the proceedings. Alexa declined to comment further as it’s a personnel matter that was handled in a private meeting.

Harper, the probation department’s judicial liaison, issued a statement by email.

“It would not have looked right for me to be involved in the decision making process as to if/when/how he returned to work with the probation department. When stopped, he was driving a car owned by one of my employees. To me, that was a disqualifier as far as my participation,” Harper stated.

The car Timmerman was driving belonged to bailiff Suzanne Piazza, who declined to comment.

“I apologize for my actions and what they brought on the court,” Timmerman said. “I’m thankful that the judges and chief believe in me by giving me a chance to continue a career that I love.”

He said he couldn’t answer how his clients might now consider him.