TRUMBULL COUNTY Judge focuses on police chases

The case of a man involved in a high-speed chase in Champion will go to the grand jury.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
and PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A municipal judge wants to make it known that area officials will not tolerate high-speed chases that jeopardize bystanders and the police officers in pursuit.
To make that point clear, Judge Thomas Gysegem decided Monday to send to the Trumbull County grand jury the case of a man who led authorities on a chase in Champion, with speeds exceeding 100 mph.
Steven Shaver, 33, of Damon Avenue, Champion, appeared for preliminary hearing Monday afternoon in Judge Gysegem's court, charged with felonious assault on a police officer, a first-degree felony, and fleeing and eluding officers, a fourth-degree felony.
Shaver failed to post a $5,000 bond and remains in Trumbull County Jail, the judge said.
About the case: Shaver was arrested Feb. 15 by Champion police after he led them on a 20-minute chase.
Traci Timko Rose, an assistant city prosecutor, said Champion police attempted to stop Shaver around 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 because an officer knew that Shaver was wanted on a forgery charge.
"The officer attempted to stop him on North Leavitt Road, but Shaver took off and led police on a high-speed chase," Timko Rose said. She noted that during the chase Shaver and police officers were traveling in excess of 100 mph.
"During one point of the chase, Shaver tried to ram his car into the officer's cruiser," Timko Rose said.
After 20 minutes, Shaver stopped his car and tried to flee on foot but officers were able to nab him, Timko Rose said.
Judge Gysegem said high-speed chases have made the news recently in the area and he took that into account when he decided to send Shaver's case to the grand jury.
"This is becoming a serious matter," the judge said. "There is no tolerance in this court for this kind of activity of fleeing and eluding."
Resulted in fatality: On Jan. 11, Colin Roberts, 19, of Cain Drive, Howland, led an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper on a chase after the trooper attempted to stop him for going through a red light at East Market Street and state Route 46 in Howland.
During the chase around 2 a.m., the cruiser driven by Trooper Lee Sredniawa collided with a car driven by Joseph Robertson, 18, of Atlantic Street Northeast, Warren, at North River Road and Elm Road Northeast.
Robertson, a freshman at Kent State University Trumbull Campus, died in the crash.
In March, Roberts entered innocent pleas to felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and two counts of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer.