Early-morning fire calls

Early-morning fire calls
YOUNGSTOWN -- Fire destroyed Fran's Hilltop II bar on Hillman Street at Dewey Avenue early today. No one was injured.
Youngstown Fire Capt. Rich Russo said the 4 a.m. fire destroyed the entire 2326 Hillman commercial building that houses the establishment, including apartments above the bar. He said it appeared as if the apartments were unoccupied. The cause is being investigated.
The alarm call came at nearly the same time as a fire that caused significant damage to a house at Rhode Avenue and Eddie Street. No one was injured, and Russo said further details were unavailable.
The two calls, along with a third alarm to a home on Belle Vista Avenue at about 4:30 a.m., kept all of the city's fire companies occupied until about 7:15 a.m. today, Russo said. Upon arrival at the Belle Vista address, firefighters discovered there was no fire.
4 accused in slaying
YOUNGSTOWN -- Police are searching for four men suspected of involvement in an East Side murder. They have a warrant accusing Eddie D. Bryant, 24, of murdering Stephen Shackleford. Shackleford, 29, of McBride Street, was found lying in the street at about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday outside his residence in the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority's Victory Annex complex.
Police alleged Bryant chased Shackleford from his home and into the roadway, where he shot him. Also accused of murder is Lorice Moore, 24. Police are also seeking Calvin Moore, 30, and Armin Moore, 23, on warrants accusing them of complicity to commit murder. Officials said the three Moore men are related.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Youngstown police, (330) 747-7911.
Charged with escape
CLEVELAND -- A federal grand jury has indicted three men on charges of escaping from the Federal Correctional Institution at Elkton. Ernesto Corral, 46, last known to live in Aurora, Ill., is charged with escaping July 26, 1999, while serving time for a drug violation. Michael L. Jakul, 44, last known to live in Jeffersonville, Ind., was charged with escaping June 9, 2000, while serving time for drug and gun violations. David L. Green Sr., 60, who listed a Cleveland address, was charged with escaping June 19, 2000, while serving time for a drug violation, the U.S. attorney said.
Arraigned in drug case
YOUNGSTOWN -- A 39-year-old East Side man faces three felony drug charges and a felony weapons charge after an arraignment in Youngstown Municipal Court.
Melvin E. Johnson, of Cassius Avenue, also faces a misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charge. He pleaded innocent to the misdemeanor Wednesday during the court hearing. Judge Robert P. Milich set cash or surety bonds totaling $50,000 on the felonies and a $1,000, 10 percent bond on the misdemeanor. He also appointed a lawyer to represent Johnson.
Johnson was arrested at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when members of the Youngstown Police Vice Squad executed a search warrant at his address and found 26 baggies of suspected marijuana, seven small bags of suspected crack cocaine, one small bag of suspected powder cocaine and loose suspected marijuana, police reports show.
Youth found with knife
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Williamson Elementary fourth grader was taken to the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center after he took a 4-inch folding knife to school in his shoe, police said. Police working security for the schools charged the boy with conveyance of a weapon onto school property at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the child had bitten an assistant on a community bus and tried to open an emergency door as the bus traveled on the freeway, police said.
Deputy sheriff fired
YOUNGSTOWN -- A Mahoning County deputy sheriff has been fired for gross misconduct, accused of harassing two female deputies and ordering an unauthorized lockdown of female inmates at the Mahoning County jail. John Martynyszyn, 49, of Canfield, was a corporal who oversaw the female deputies. The women told investigators he used vulgar language with them in front of female inmates Feb. 22 and then ordered a lockdown of the inmates. After a predisciplinary hearing, Sheriff Randall A. Wellington terminated Martynyszyn for violating rules and procedures.