WILMINGTON - A former police officer avoided a murder trial in Clinton County Common Pleas Court Monday by reaching a plea deal.

David Michael Mueller, 31, who lived in Butler County while working as a police officer in New Vienna, 45 miles northeast of Cincinnati, has waived his right to a jury trial.

On Wednesday, the Hamilton man is expected to admit to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the death of a domestic violence suspect, said Clinton County Prosecutor William E. Peelle.

Police seek vandals breaking car windows

LOVELAND - Police in three communities are searching for several people who they say broke the windows out of cars early Sunday, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

The vandals struck in Loveland, Symmes Township and Miami Township. Six vehicles were damaged on Stratford Street alone in Loveland.

Ky. road death toll highest in 20 years

UNION - A fatal wreck in Union Thanksgiving weekend help put the yearly death toll on pace to become the highest Kentucky has seen in more than two decades.

Eight people died in the holiday weekend, five more than during the same period last year. As of Monday, 848 people had died in traffic crashes in Kentucky this year, an increase of 11 deaths from the same period a year ago.