In his final three months as chief of the Richfield Fire Department, Jason Mihalek made over $53,000 while on leave from his post after being charged with drunken driving.
Mihalek, 41, was placed on unpaid administrative leave on Oct. 25 after he was charged with driving while intoxicated in Kent. However, Mayor Bobbie Beshara allowed Mihalek to use vacation days while on leave to make up for the lost pay.
According to the mayor’s office, he used paid time off to collect $7,162.62 from Oct. 25 to Nov. 23.
Starting Nov. 28, Mihalek was placed on paid administrative leave after Kent Municipal Judge Kevin Poland granted him driving privileges. From Nov. 28 to Jan. 8, Mihalek collected $9,797.10 on paid leave.
On Jan. 13, Mihalek signed a separation agreement with the village in which he was offered a $36,472.73 severance package — the equivalent of 11 weeks’ worth of regular pay and five weeks of vacation pay that he had accrued — in exchange for his resignation. Mihalek officially left the village’s employment on Jan. 26.
“This separation agreement was a mutually agreed upon separation between Jason Mihalek and the village of Richfield,” the mayor wrote in an email. “We are moving forward and have hired a new chief and do wish the former chief the best in his future endeavors.”
Longtime Richfield firefighter Phil McLean was promoted to chief in Mihalek’s wake. McLean has been with the department for 40 years serving in a variety of capacities.
Mihalek was charged with driving while intoxicated on Oct. 23. His arrest and booking at the police department were captured on video.
In security camera footage, Mihalek described the charges against him as “crap,” “garbage” and “ridiculous.” He repeatedly said he was innocent and that he planned to call the Richfield and Kent police chiefs — who he said he knew personally — for their help in getting rid of the charges against him.
Dashboard camera footage from earlier in the night showed Mihalek stumble several times while performing field sobriety tests. He told police he had consumed three beers starting five hours earlier and that he was in Kent to meet a woman on Hampton Drive. Mihalek refused to take a breath test.
A trial in Mihalek’s court case has not been scheduled.
Mihalek’s attorney, Michael Callahan, said part of the payout was money his client was entitled to receive.
“Some of that was five weeks of vacation that accrues regardless of what’s happening,” he said. “When push comes to shove, he’s no longer employed there, so he doesn’t have a job right now. And in my experience, it’s very unusual for a public employee to lose their job before they’re convicted.”
Callahan said he plans to file motions in court in the coming weeks. He said he is hopeful Mihalek will be found not guilty.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook @JournoNickGlunt .