NEWTON FALLS, Ohio -
A Newton Falls City council member is apologizing to fellow council members and the community for her behavior when police arrested her for driving under the influence.

In a letter read by Mayor Ken Klineduring Monday's Newton Falls City council meeting, Third Ward Councilmember Tesa Spletzer expressed remorse for what happened during her arrest on September 11.

I am so sorry for the events that took place on September 11, 2021. I am not going to make any excuses for my poor judgment that evening.

I am thankful for the professionalism of the NFPD officers that responded to this event. They were polite, courteous and patient with me.

The amount of remorse, personal shame, and humiliation I am feeling is overwhelming.

I will address this issue proactively.

I respectfully request a temporary medical leave of absence so that I can seek treatment.

I humbly ask for your approval.


Spletzer was handcuffed two separate times according to the officers who pulled her over for allegedly driving under the influence.

According to a police report, a Newton Falls officer stopped a GMC Terrain that he had seen driving on the wrong side of River Street shortly before 11 o’clock Saturday night.

The officer reported that the third ward councilwoman had slurred speech and “glassy” eyes.

The report says Spletzer admitted that she had been drinking and agreed to undergo a field sobriety test.

Spletzer was handcuffed and charged with OVI after the officer said she failed the test.

After being placed in a police cruiser, the report states that Spletzer spit at the two officer’s feet two times, calling them “piece of sh-ts!”

Police say she demanded that the officer remove the cuffs before she was inside the police station, saying she was being targeted because she is a city council member.

Officers didn’t uncuff Spletzer until she was inside police headquarters where she signed papers acknowledging that she refused to undergo a breathalyzer test, according to the police report.

Police say Spletzer insisted on walking home by herself, dropping “F-bombs” as she left the building according to one officer.

The police report says an officer insisted on driving Spletzer home for her own safety. When Spletzer resisted the officer’s efforts to place her in the cruiser, she was handcuffed again until she got into the car.

Spletzer was scheduled to answer charges of OVI and driving in improper lanes during a Thursday hearing in Newton Falls Municipal Court. However, she plead "not guilty" on Wednesday in a written plea.