An Ohio meteorologist who was charged with driving under the influence after crashing her SUV last Thanksgiving has been fired.
Hollie Strano announced Monday morning that television station WKYC has fired her “after more than 22 years of dedicated service.”
Strano pleaded guilty to the crime after she crashed her car into a utility pole while being pursued by police in Cuyahoga Falls last November.
She reached a speed of 113 km/h in a 35 km/h zone and had a blood alcohol level of 0.244 percent, more than three times the legal limit.
Hollie Strano announced Monday morning that television station WKYC has fired her “after more than 22 years of dedicated service.”
Strano pleaded guilty to the crime after she crashed her car into a utility pole while police were pursuing her in Cuyahoga Falls last November
Strano said of the station’s decision to fire her: “The actions of WKYC and Tegna show that addiction is a stigma that so many people in our community experience every day.”
“I have been honest and authentic about my journey, and I will continue to be so… For me, but also for you and everyone else who struggles in silence out of fear of this kind of behavior from their own employers.
“Thank you for welcoming me into your home all these years. It has been the privilege of a lifetime.”
Strano promised to ‘continue to prioritize’ [her] sobriety and health.’
Some have suggested she should shift her career to social media influencing, while others have assured her she will be picked up by a rival network
Strano’s fans have rallied behind her after she revealed the news
After pleading guilty, Strano was fined $375, ordered to pay court costs, had her driver’s license revoked for a year and was ordered to complete a six-day driving intervention program.
She said at the time that she was “deeply remorseful for what happened on the evening of November 23, 2023.
“As tragic as it was and as cliché as it sounds, I believe this had to happen to me in order to go on this healing journey of sobriety and introspection.”
Just two weeks ago, Strano celebrated the milestone of “nine months sober.”
Strano’s fans joined her after she announced the news.
Strano promised to ‘continue to prioritize’ [her] sobriety and health
She reached a speed of 113 km/h in a 35 km/h zone and had a blood alcohol level of 0.244 percent, more than three times the legal limit.
Some have advised her to pivot her career to social media influencing, while others have assured her that she will be picked up by a rival network.
A fan told Strano on her Instagram page, “When one door closes, another opens. You can do this. Your viewers love you. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.”
Another wrote: ‘Know that you have a whole community of people in recovery who will always be by your side. Thank you for making it worth watching the weather.’