WARREN — The Trumbull County coroner is hiring a forensic pathologist.

Dr. George C Sterbenz, the former chief deputy medical examiner in Summit County, was selected, according to coroner Dr. Thomas James.

“He comes to us with 28 years of knowledge and experience. We are both fortunate and pleased to have him join our team,” James said.

The position pays $200,000 per year.

The county hasn’t had a forensic pathologist since the late coroner, Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, died in April.

Although James is a doctor, he is not a forensic pathologist as Germaniuk was, so he is considered a part-time coroner. Ohio Revised Code sets the salary for a part-time coroner at $69,739 per year for a county this size. Germaniuk was earning $127,563 as coroner and forensic pathologist.

The county has been paying forensic pathologists in other counties an average of $1,500 per autopsy, according to information provided by the office. With an average of 236 autopsies per year over the past five years, it could cost about $354,000 per year, on average, to continue contracting the autopsies out, according to information provided by the office.

The average annual cost, with James as coroner and contracted autopsies, would be about $420,000 per year. To have the autopsies conducted in house by Sterbenz, with James as coroner, the cost will be approximately $269,000 — a potential savings of $154,000 — but still $142,000 more expensive than if the county coroner was also a forensic pathologist.

In 2017, the office conducted 384 autopsies and performed 270 in 2018.

rfox@tribtoday.com