LISBON — The resentencing of a woman charged with escape, car theft and felonious assault for a 2023 incident in Lisbon finally happened Wednesday via Zoom, with the punishment remaining at least eight years in prison, but to a maximum of 11 years.

Ashley B. Croley, 39, Youngstown, appeared from the women’s prison in Marysville, with her defense attorney James Wise in the courtroom in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Scott Washam. County Assistant Prosecutor Tammie Riley Jones was also present, filling in for county Assistant Prosecutor Alec Beech.

This was the fourth scheduled resentencing hearing for Croley, with the last two canceled due to technical issues with the video conferencing feed. The initial resentencing was canceled after she tried to appeal her case to the Ohio Supreme Court, which was denied.

Her case was remanded back to Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for resentencing after the 7th District Court of Appeals ruled last year that the trial court miscalculated the maximum sentence during her sentencing in February 2024, saying the maximum sentence should gave been 11 years, not 12 years.

Washam originally sentenced Croley to a total of eight years in prison, with six years for felonious assault, a second-degree felony, plus an additional two years for third-degree felony escape and fourth-degree felony grand theft of a motor vehicle. A third-degree felony vehicular assault charge was merged with the felonious assault for sentencing.

According to law, the felonious assault charge as a second-degree felony falls under requirements for an indefinite term, which calls for a maximum term that is half of the minimum plus the minimum. In this case, there were also consecutive terms, so the number of years added to the minimum is added to the grand total.

The sentence for the felonious assault should have added three years to the grand total for a maximum of 11 years: two years plus the six years plus three years.

Washam had said the maximum would be 12 years.

The Seventh District Court of Appeals said that didn’t comply with the sentencing law, ruling that the maximum had been miscalculated and should have been 11 years. Whether she has to serve the additional three years will be up to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections.

During the resentencing, she received credit for 102 days served.

Croley indicated that she would like to seek judicial release, but Washam said the resentencing has to happen first before that can be considered. He did tell her she looked better than the previous appearances in court and that it appeared evident that she was participating in the prison programming made available to her.

On Aug. 5, 2023, Croley climbed a fence and escaped from the Eastern Ohio Correction Center in Lisbon, then stole a car from the parking lot of East of Chicago Pizza just up the street. The owner came outside and tried to stop her, but Croley put the car in reverse, causing him to get caught in the door, then she ran over his foot. She left the county in the car, but was later caught.

mgreier@mojonews.com