Former Cuyahoga County judge Lance Mason has been charged for hitting a police officer while fleeing from the Shaker Heights home where his ex-wife was found dead on Saturday, court documents confirm.
Mason has been charged with felonious assault for injuring a police officer who was responding to the scene.
No charges have yet been filed in connection to the death of Aisha M. Fraser, who was found stabbed to death at her home on Chagrin Boulevard.
Over the weekend
On Saturday while police were responding to a domestic violence call at Fraser's home, an officer positioned his cruiser with activated emergency lights outside the home on the center double-yellow line of Chagrin Boulevard to block traffic, according to an affidavit.
While standing outside the driver's door of his cruiser, an officer was hit by Mason driving his Audi SUV. The officer suffered serious injuries to his lower legs and ribs, according to the affidavit. The officer was hospitalized.
Both the SUV and the cruiser sustained disabling damage.
After the crash, Mason exited the vehicle and fled on foot into a nearby home on Chagrin Boulevard. Police arrested Mason at that home.
</p><p><em>The scene of the crash where police arrested Mason.
A history of domestic violence
According to court documents, Mason was suspended from practicing law after he attacked his wife in front of their children as they were driving back from a family member’s funeral on Aug. 2, 2014.
During the drive back, Mason became upset and struck Fraser repeatedly in the head and bit her on the face. When Fraser tried to get out of the car, Mason grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back in, court documents said.
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While stopped at a red light, Fraser jumped out of the vehicle but fell to the ground. Court documents say Mason put the car in park and left their children in the vehicle. Mason continued to attack her but eventually left Fraser bleeding on the ground while he drove away with the children, court documents said.
Mason’s attack on Fraser left her with an orbital fracture under her left eye. Mason was arrested later the same day, court records said.
Fraser filed for divorce two days after the attack. Their divorce was finalized on Nov. 12, 2015.
Mason was sentenced on Sept. 26, 2015, to two years at the Lorain Correctional Institution and six months in county jail, but he was given judicial release after having served nine months, court documents said.
Fraser was awarded $150,000 in a civil lawsuit she filed against him, according to court records.
A beloved teacher
On Monday and Tuesday, Shaker Heights canceled all professional learning to give the community a chance to grieve Fraser's death.
Fraser was a sixth-grade teacher at Woodbury Elementary in Shaker Heights. A vigil will be held in Fraser's honor on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Woodbury Elementary School. The Shaker Heights Teachers' Association also has a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Fraser's two children.
