A Kent City Schools employee is accused of crashing her car and leaving the scene while driving impaired during her lunch hour last month.
Courtney Baliman, 40, of Stow, faces charges of hit skip and driving while impaired. Her case is being heard in Kent Municipal Court.
According to police reports, Baliman was driving west in the 600 block of Park Avenue — just south of Davey Elementary School — at about 11:20 a.m. on Sept. 27. She allegedly struck a parked vehicle whose driver was attempting to merge into traffic. Baliman’s vehicle then crashed into a different parked vehicle. Police reported she put her vehicle in reverse and struck a third parked vehicle and the first vehicle again before fleeing the scene.
Police found Baliman nearby. According to court documents, she refused to take an alcohol breath test and was placed under arrest.
Baliman is represented in court by Linda Malek, a Cuyahoga Falls defense attorney specializing in impaired driving law. Malek could not be reached for comment.
George Joseph, superintendent of Kent schools, said Baliman initially was placed on paid administrative leave but has since returned to work. As a technology specialist for the district, she travels between schools and instructs teachers how to use technology in their lessons. Joseph said she has little contact with students.
He said the decision to let Baliman return to work was a complex one.
“She works as part of a team,” he said, “but her job isn’t the kind where we can just bring in a substitute.”