Washtenaw County commissioner candidate sentenced to probation in hit-and-run

An Ann Arbor man seeking a seat on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners was sentenced to probation for leaving the scene of an injury crash involving a pedestrian.

Joe Baublis, a Republican vying for the open 11th District commissioner seat vacated by State Representative hopeful Jeff Irwin, received six months of probation on the misdemeanor conviction, court records show.

Prosecutors agreed to drop a felony count of leaving the scene of an injury crash when Baublis pleaded guilty last month. District Judge Elizabeth Pollard Hines also ordered him to serve six days of community service.

But Joe Simon, Baublis’ attorney, said that while his client accepts responsibility for not "representing himself" to officers at the scene of the April 19 crash, he did not flee.

He said Baublis was attempting to turn onto East Stadium Boulevard from Packard Road in heavy traffic when someone ran out in front of him and hit the passenger side window with an elbow. The window shattered.

Baublis, 50, was stunned after the crash and turned into the nearby gas station parking lot, Simon said. He exited the vehicle and watched emergency responders treat the pedestrian, who had a badly injured arm. Huron Valley Ambulance paramedics took the 17-year-old boy to the University of Michigan Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.

Baublis only spoke with officers after witnesses to the collision pointed him out.

“He was completely stunned, startled and dazed,” Simon said. “He did not represent himself to officers who were there, and that’s what he’s taking responsibility for.”

Baublis is a first-time candidate who ran unopposed in the August party primary. He faces Democrat Yousef Rabhi on Nov. 2.

Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.