Thirty days suspension, unpaid, for Lorain County Sheriff's Major Heath Tester after DUI conviction

Heath Tester, the major in charge of special operations at the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, has accepted a 30-day unpaid suspension following an internal disciplinary investigation by his superiors. Sheriff Jack Hall said Tester, 55, of Vermilion, was offered the suspension and a "last chance" employment agreement following a disciplinary hearing Tuesday. That hearing followed a misdemeanor DUI conviction in Norwalk Municipal Court in August. Hall said he had given Tester until Friday to decide whether to accept or reject the discipline. Tester's suspension starts immediately, and he is allowed to apply accrued paid time off toward it, Hall said. The sheriff said he was "satisfied" that Tester had accepted full responsibility for his actions. An at-will employee, Tester is being given one last chance, Hall said. "He has to abide by our policy" and the orders of Norwalk Municipal Court, Hall said. "Any deviation in that will result in his termination." Tester was arrested July 17 by Norwalk police who stopped him for driving erratically through the Huron County city. Witnesses told Norwalk police that Tester improperly passed them, drove the wrong way on one-way streets, ran a red light, made improper turns and almost hit other cars. He told officers who stopped him he thought he was in Oberlin. He refused sobriety tests, was arrested, booked and released to a sober person. Tester pleaded no contest Aug. 4 to a misdemeanor DUI charge in Norwalk Municipal Court. A no contest plea means a defendant does not admit guilt but accepts the charge and the sentence. Tester was found guilty, sentenced to 90 days in jail with 87 days suspended on the condition he attend a three-day alcohol intervention program, placed on two years probation and ordered to pay $904 in fines and court costs. His driver's license was suspended for three years. In a statement through his attorney, Tester apologized, said he made a "serious and unacceptable decision" to drive impaired, expressed gratitude no one was hurt and said he would work to earn back the community's trust. Tester joined the Sheriff's Office in 1996, left, then rejoined as a major when Hall took office in 2025. Contact Dave O'Brien at 440-329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.