Robert Jarvis is a 65-year-old retired special education teacher with no criminal history.
He was working as a disc jockey at the Zodiac, an Akron bar, to make extra money in January when he got into a fight with another man at the bar.
The other man died, and Jarvis is now facing prison time for the death.
Jarvis, of Akron, was scheduled to go on trial for murder Monday morning in Summit County Common Pleas Court. Instead, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors dropped a felonious assault charge.
Jarvis will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Dec. 28 by Judge Todd McKenney. He faces up to 11 years in prison.
Assistant Prosecutor Greg Peacock said the victim’s family and police signed off on the plea agreement.
The fight between Jarvis and Forrest Ryan, 43, of North Canton, happened just after midnight Jan. 8 at the Zodiac, 1955 Triplett Blvd. Witnesses said Jarvis punched Ryan in the head. Ryan collapsed and had labored breathing. Two women in the bar performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Ryan died from his injuries.
Jarvis and Ryan knew each other.
“It’s a terrible tragedy for two families,” said Mike Callahan, Jarvis’ attorney.
The fight was captured on video. The Summit County Prosecutor’s Office declined Monday to release the video until after the sentencing.
Callahan said the video, though damning to his client, doesn’t tell the whole story.
Ryan had major surgery to his head last year. Prosecutors said the prior surgery, however, had nothing to do with his death. Instead, they said, Jarvis struck Ryan and he fell down, with injuries that proved fatal.
Jarvis was a teacher for 30 years, the last 10 in special education at Windfall School in Medina County.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: swarsmithabj.