On Friday, May 22, 2026, the Norwalk Reflector reported that Huron County Common Pleas Court Judge James Conway recused himself from the case of Eric L. Carroll, a Norwalk man accused of a violent attack last fall. Judge Conway filed an affidavit of recusal on May 19, citing a personal friendship with one of the alleged victims. The case stems from an alleged assault in October and Carroll’s subsequent indictment in December.

Carroll, 33, faces a series of serious felony charges, including two counts of first-degree felony kidnapping, two counts of third-degree felony abduction, aggravated burglary (first-degree felony), burglary (second-degree felony), three counts of felony strangulation, grand theft of a motor vehicle (fourth-degree felony), and gross sexual imposition (fourth-degree felony).

The Huron County Public Defender’s office also filed a motion to withdraw as Carroll’s counsel, stating that Carroll had submitted multiple writings to the court demanding new counsel. David Longo, director of the public defender’s office, indicated that despite diligent preparation for trial, the severity of the charges left him with no choice but to file the motion. Attorney Patrick Farrell has since been appointed to represent Carroll. Retired Cuyahoga County Judge John Sutula has been appointed to preside over the case as a visiting judge.

The incident occurred on October 18, 2025, when a 911 call was received from a hotel manager reporting that a female employee had run into the office in distress, stating, “There was violence.” Surveillance footage from the hotel corroborated the employee’s account, showing a man entering the room, followed by screams, and the woman escaping shortly thereafter. Police identified the suspect as Carroll, who investigators noted had recently been released from prison after serving 10 years for involuntary manslaughter related to a fatal stabbing that occurred over a decade ago in Norwalk.

Later that evening, Carroll was apprehended after a rollover crash near U.S. 250. The driver fled the scene on foot but was later found hiding in a barn, wearing the same clothing seen in the hotel surveillance video. Carroll was taken into custody and booked into the Huron County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
The case remains under active investigation, with the possibility of additional charges.

 

 

Source: Norwalk Reflector